Book of Common Prayer

But We Believe And Speak Because We Know God Will Raise Us Up With Jesus

¹³ But having the same spirit^[a] of faith in accordance with the thing having been written, “I believed, therefore I spoke” [Ps 116:10]— we also believe, therefore we also speak, ¹⁴ knowing that the One having raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and will present us with you. ¹⁵ For all things are for your sakes— in order that grace, having increased through the more people, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

And Our Affliction Is Producing an Eternal Weight of Glory For Us In Heaven

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose-heart. But even though our outer person is being destroyed^[b], nevertheless our inner person is being renewed day in and day out. ¹⁷ For the momentary lightness of our affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory extremely beyond measure, ¹⁸ while we are not looking-for^[c] the things being seen, but the things not being seen. For the things being seen are temporary, but the things not being seen are eternal. 5 ¹ For we know that if our earthly house— our tent^[d]— is torn-down^[e], we have a building^[f] from God, a house not-made-by-human-hands, eternal, in the heavens.

We Do Indeed Groan In This Body And Would Prefer To Get Home To The Lord

² For indeed in this tent we are groaning, yearning to put-on-over^[g] ourselves our dwelling from heaven— ³ inasmuch^[h] as we, having taken-off ^[i] this tent, shall not be found naked^[j]. ⁴ For indeed we, the ones being in the tent^[k], are groaning, being burdened, because we do not want to take-off ^[l] our earthly tent, but to put on our heavenly dwelling over it, in order that the mortal may be swallowed-up by the life. ⁵ And the One having made us for this very thing is God, the One having given us His pledge: the Spirit. ⁶ So while always being confident^[m], and knowing that while being-at-home in the body we are away-from-home, from the Lord ⁷ (for we walk by faith, not by appearance^[n])— ⁸ yet we are confident^[o] and prefer rather to get-away-from-home, out of the body, and to get-at-home with the Lord.

Therefore We Are Ambitious To Please Him By Persuading People

⁹ Therefore^[p] we indeed are ambitious^[q] to be pleasing to Him— whether being at-home or being away-from-home. ¹⁰ For we all must appear^[r] before the judgment-seat of Christ in order that each one might receive-back^[s] the things done in^[t] the body, in-accordance-with the things which he practiced, whether good or bad.

But Do Not Merely Put On a Show of Righteousness For Others

6 “But take-heed not to do your righteousness^[a] in-front-of people so-as to be seen^[b] by them. Otherwise indeed, you do not have a reward with your Father in the heavens.

Don’t Give Money To Glorify Yourself. Give Without Thinking of Yourself At All

² “So whenever you do almsgiving^[c], do not trumpet it before you as-indeed the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the lanes^[d] so that they may be glorified by people. Truly I say to you, they are receiving their reward^[e] in full. ³ But while you are doing almsgiving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your almsgiving may be in secret. And your Father, the One seeing in secret, will reward you.

Don’t Pray To Impress Others. Always Pray As If Alone With Your Heavenly Father

⁵ “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. Because standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the wide-roads, they love to pray so that they may make-an-appearance^[f] to people. Truly I say to you, they are receiving their reward in full. ⁶ But whenever you pray, enter into your inner-room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father, the One in secret. And your Father, the One seeing in secret, will reward you.

Don’t Babble On In Prayer. Pray As a Child of God, Aligned With His Purposes

⁷ “And while praying, do not babble as-indeed the Gentiles do. For they are thinking that they will be heard by means of their many-words^[g]. ⁸ So do not be like them, for your Father knows of the things which you have a need before you ask Him. ⁹ Therefore, you be praying as follows, ‘Our Father in the heavens: ¹⁰ let^[h] Your name be treated-as-holy. Let Your kingdom come. Let Your will be done^[i]— as in heaven, also on earth. ¹¹ Give us today our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our debts, as we also forgave^[j] our debtors. ¹³ And do not bring us into a temptation^[k], but deliver^[l] us from the evil one^[m]’. ¹⁴ For if you forgive people their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive people their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Don’t Display Yourself As Fasting. Fast In Secret

¹⁶ “And whenever you fast, do not be like the sad-faced hypocrites. For they disfigure^[n] their faces so that they may appear to people as ones fasting. Truly I say to you, they are receiving their reward in full.