Book of Common Prayer

The law of the Spirit gives life. The Spirit of God makes us God’s children and heirs with Christ. We cannot be separated from the abundant love of God.

8 There is then no damnation to those who are in Christ Jesus – who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit that brings life through Jesus Christ has delivered me from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law could not do, inasmuch as it was weak because of the flesh, God has performed. He sent his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, and by a sin offering punished sin in the flesh, ⁴ so that the righteousness required by the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. ⁵ For those who are fleshly are fleshly minded, but those who are spiritual are spiritually minded. ⁶ To be fleshly minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ For the fleshly mind is enmity against God, because it is not obedient to the law of God, neither can be. ⁸ So then, those who are given to the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ But you are not given to the flesh, but to the Spirit, if it so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. If there is any person who does not have the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his. ¹⁰ If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life for righteousness’ sake. ¹¹ And so if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from death dwells in you, he who raised up Christ from death will give life to your mortal bodies, because his Spirit dwells in you.

The marriage of the king’s son. Tribute should be given to the emperor. Christ confutes the opinion of the Sadducees concerning the resurrection, and answers the question posed by the scribe.

22 And Jesus spoke to them again in similitudes, saying, ² The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, ³ and sent forth his servants to call those who were bid to the wedding, and they would not come. ⁴ Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell those who are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatted calves are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage.

⁵ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his farmstead, another about his wares. ⁶ The rest took his servants and shamefully abused them, and slew them.

⁷ When the king heard about this, he was furious, and sent forth his warriors and destroyed those murderers and burnt up their city. ⁸ Then said the king to his servants, The wedding was prepared, but those who were bidden were not worthy. ⁹ Go therefore out into the highways, and as many as you find, bid them to the marriage.

¹⁰ The servants went out into the highways and gathered together as many as they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding was furnished with guests. ¹¹ Then the king came in to visit the guests, and spotted there a man who did not have on a wedding garment, ¹² and said to him, Friend, how did it happen that you came in here and do not have on a wedding garment? And the man was quite speechless. ¹³ Then said the king to his servants, Take and bind him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen.