Book of Common Prayer

¹⁰ If Timothy comes, see that he be without fear with you. For he works the work of the Lord, as I do. ¹¹ Let no one dishonour him, but send him onwards in peace, so that he may come to me. For I am waiting for him with the brethren.

¹² To speak of brother Apollos: I greatly urged him to go to you with the brethren, but his mind was not at all to go at this time. However, he will go when he has the opportunity.

¹³ Watch, stand fast in the faith, acquit yourselves like men, and be strong. ¹⁴ Let all you do be done in love.

¹⁵ Brethren, you know the house of Stephanas, how they are the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to minister to the saints. ¹⁶ I beseech you to show regard for such persons, and to all who help and labour. ¹⁷ I am glad of the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for that which was missing on your part, they have supplied. ¹⁸ They have comforted my spirit and yours. See therefore that you acknowledge such people.

¹⁹ The congregations of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, and so does the congregation that is in their house. ²⁰ All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

²¹ The greeting of me, Paul, with my own hand. ²² If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, the same be anathema maranatha. ²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. ²⁴ My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

The end of the first epistle to the Corinthians, sent from
Philippi by the hands of Stephanas and
Fortunatus and Achaicus
and Timotheus.

²² Then was brought to him one who was possessed with a devil, who was both blind and dumb. And Jesus healed him, so that he who had been blind and dumb both spoke and saw. ²³ And all the people were amazed and said, Is not this the Son of David? ²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard that, they said, This fellow drives the devils out no other way but by the help of Beelzebub, the chief of the devils.

²⁵ But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, Every kingdom divided within itself will be brought to nothing. Neither can any city or household divided against itself continue. ²⁶ So if Satan casts out Satan, then he is divided against himself. How then shall his kingdom endure? ²⁷ Also, if I by the help of Beelzebub cast out devils, by whose help do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if I cast out the devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

²⁹ Or again, how can a man enter into a strong man’s house and forcibly take away his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he plunders his house. ³⁰ He who is not with me, is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters abroad.

³¹ So I say to you, all manner of sin and blasphemy may be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit will not be forgiven men. ³² And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it may be forgiven him, but whosoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it may not be forgiven him – no, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.