Book of Common Prayer

The Lamb And The 144,000 Stand On Mt. Zion, Singing a New Song

14 And I saw, and behold— the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one-hundred forty four thousand having His name and the name of His Father having been written on their foreheads. ² And I heard a sound from heaven like a sound of many waters, and like a sound of loud thunder. And the sound which I heard was like that of harpists harping with their harps. ³ And they^[a] are singing something like a new song before the throne and before the four living-creatures and the elders. And no one was able to learn the song except the one-hundred forty four thousand, the ones having been bought^[b] from the earth. ⁴ These are ones who were not stained^[c] with women, for they are virgins. These are^[d] the ones following the Lamb wherever He goes. These were bought from mankind to be the firstfruit to God and to the Lamb. ⁵ And falsehood was not found in their mouth. They are without-blemish.

Three Angels Proclaim God’s Message To The Earth

⁶ And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven^[e], having eternal good-news to announce-as-good-news to^[f] the ones sitting on the earth— indeed, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, ⁷ saying with a loud voice “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment came^[g]. And give-worship to the One having made the heaven and the land and sea and springs of waters”.

¹³ And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write— ‘Blessed^[a] are the dead dying in the Lord from-now-on! Yes, says the Spirit, so that they will rest from their labors, for their works are following with them”.

You Are Salt And Light. Salt Must Be Tasty. Light Must Shine

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should become-tasteless, with what will it be salted^[a]? It no longer has strength for anything except, having been thrown outside, to be trampled-underfoot by people. ¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city lying on a hill is not able to be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they burn a lamp and put it under the basket, but on the lampstand— and it shines on all the ones in the house. ¹⁶ In this manner, let your light shine in front of people so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens.

I Came To Fulfill The Law. Your Righteousness Must Abound More Than The Pharisees

¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to abolish^[b] the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill^[c]. ¹⁸ For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, one iota^[d] or one stroke^[e] will by no means pass away from the Law until all things take-place^[f]. ¹⁹ Therefore, whoever breaks^[g] one of the least of these commandments and in this manner teaches people— he will be called least in the kingdom of the heavens. But whoever does and teaches them— this one will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. ²⁰ For I say to you that unless your righteousness abounds more^[h] than [that of] the scribes and Pharisees, you will by-no-means^[i] enter into the kingdom of the heavens!