Book of Common Prayer

For Salvation Trains Us To Live Righteously And Godly As Zealots For Good Works

¹¹ For the grace of God appeared^[a] bringing-salvation for all people, ¹² training us that having denied ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live sound-mindedly^[b] and righteously and godly in the present age, ¹³ while waiting-for the blessed hope and appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ Who gave Himself for us in order that He might redeem us from all lawlessness and cleanse for Himself a special^[c] people— zealots^[d] for good works.

Speak With Authority; Let No One Disregard You

¹⁵ Be speaking these things, and be exhorting, and be rebuking with all authority. Let no one be disregarding you.

Remind Everyone How To Behave Toward Other People

3 Be reminding them to be subject to rulers, to authorities; to be obedient^[e]; to be ready for every good work; ² to blaspheme no one; to be non-quarrelsome, kind, demonstrating all gentleness toward all people.

For We Also Were Once Foolish And Deceived, But God Saved Us By His Mercy And Grace

³ For we also were once foolish^[f], disobedient, being deceived, being-slaves^[g] to various desires and pleasures, spending life in malice and envy, detested^[h], hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and love-for-mankind of our Savior God appeared, ⁵ He saved us^[i]— not by works which we did in [our] righteousness, but according-to^[j] His mercy, through a washing^[k] of ^[l] regeneration^[m] and a renewing^[n] of ^[o] the Holy Spirit, ⁶ Whom He richly poured-out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ in order that having been declared-righteous by the grace of that One, we might become heirs according-to^[p] the hope of eternal life. ⁸ The saying is trustworthy.

Speak With Confidence, So That Believers Take The Lead In Good Works

And concerning these things I want you to be speaking-confidently, in order that the ones having believed in God may be careful^[q] to take-the-lead^[r] in good works. These things are good and profitable for people.

Mary Goes To See Elizabeth

³⁹ And having arisen during these days, Mary proceeded to the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, ⁴⁰ and entered into the house of Zechariah, and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And it came about that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped^[a] in her womb.

Elizabeth Recognizes Mary As The Mother of Her Lord

And Elizabeth was filled^[b] with the Holy Spirit, ⁴² and exclaimed with a loud shout and said, “You are blessed^[c] among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³ And why^[d] has this happened to me— that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For behold— when the sound of your greeting came-to-be in my ears, the baby leaped with gladness in my womb. ⁴⁵ And blessed^[e] is she having believed that^[f] there will be a fulfillment to the things having been spoken to her from the Lord”.

Mary Rejoices Over God Her Savior

⁴⁶ And Mary said, “My soul magnifies^[g] the Lord, ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoiced-greatly over God my Savior. ⁴⁸ Because He looked-upon^[h] the lowliness^[i] of His slave, for behold— from now on, all generations will consider me blessed^[j],

⁴⁸ Because He looked-upon^[a] the lowliness^[b] of His slave, for behold— from now on, all generations will consider me blessed^[c], ⁴⁹ because the Powerful One did great things for me. And His name is holy. ⁵⁰ And His mercy to generations and generations is on the ones fearing Him. ⁵¹ He did a mighty-deed^[d] with His arm. He scattered ones proud^[e] in the thought^[f] of their heart. ⁵² He brought-down rulers from their thrones, and lifted-up lowly ones. ⁵³ He filled ones being hungry with good things, and sent ones being rich away empty. ⁵⁴ He helped Israel His servant so that He might remember^[g] mercy, ⁵⁵ just as He spoke to our fathers— to Abraham, and to his seed forever”. ⁵⁶ And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her house.