Book of Common Prayer

¹² We beseech you, brethren, to recognize those who labour among you, and have the oversight of you in the Lord and give you exhortation – ¹³ to have them the more in love for their work’s sake, and be at peace with them.

¹⁴ We desire you, brethren, to warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, bear up the weak, and have continual patience toward all people. ¹⁵ See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and among all people.

¹⁶ Rejoice always. ¹⁷ Pray continually. ¹⁸ In all things give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

¹⁹ Quench not the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise prophesying. ²¹ Examine all things, and keep that which is good. ²² Keep from every appearance of evil. ²³ May the very God of peace sanctify you thoroughly. And I pray God that your whole spirit, soul, and body may be kept faultless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Faithful is he who called you, who will also do it.

²⁵ Brethren, pray for us. ²⁶ Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.

²⁷ I charge you in the Lord to read this epistle to all the holy brethren. ²⁸ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Amen.

The end of the first epistle to
the Thessalonians.
Sent from
Athens.

¹⁹ See that you do not gather for yourselves treasure upon the earth, where rust and moths destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But gather treasures together in heaven, where neither rust nor moths destroy, and where thieves do not break in or steal. ²¹ For wherever your treasure is, there will your hearts be also.

²² The light of the body is your eye. Therefore if your eye is single, all your body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is bad, then all your body will be full of darkness. Therefore if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

²⁴ No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will lean to the one and neglect the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.