Book of Common Prayer

He prophesies of the latter days, and exhorts Timothy to the diligent reading of the holy scripture.

4 The Spirit speaks clearly that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, and will give heed to spirits of error, and to devilish teaching ² by those who speak falsely through hypocrisy, who have their consciences marked with an hot iron, ³ forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ For everything God created is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. ⁵ For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. ⁶ If you put the brethren in mind of these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, who has been nourished up in the words of the faith and good teaching, which teaching you have continually followed. ⁷ But cast away unspiritual and old wives’ tales.

Exercise yourself unto godliness. ⁸ For bodily exercise is of some benefit, but godliness is fruitful in all things, having promises for the life that is now and for the life to come. ⁹ This is a sure saying, and worthy to be received by all. ¹⁰ It is for this that we labour and suffer rebuke – because we believe in the living God, who is the saviour of all men, but especially of those who believe. ¹¹ Such things command and teach.

¹² Let no one dishonour your youth, but be to those who believe an example, in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in pureness.

¹³ Until I come, attend to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy and with the laying on of the hands of an elder. ¹⁵ Be diligent in these things, and give yourself to them, so that it may be seen how you bring profit in all things. ¹⁶ Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine, and continue therein. For if you will so do, you will preserve yourself and those who hear you.

¹³ And they sent to him certain of the Pharisees, along with Herod’s servants, to take him in his words. ¹⁴ And as soon as they arrived, they said to him, Teacher, we know that you are true, and mind no man, for you do not consider the degree of men, but teach the way of God truly. Is it lawful to remit tribute to Caesar, or not? ¹⁵ Ought we to give, or ought we not to give?

He understood their simulation and said to them, Why do you bait me? Bring me a denarius so that I may see it. ¹⁶ And they brought one. And he said to them, Whose image and superscription is this? And they said to him, Caesar’s. ¹⁷ And Jesus answered and said to them, Then give to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar, and to God that which belongs to God. And they marvelled at him.

¹⁸ Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him. And they asked him, saying, ¹⁹ Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if any man’s brother dies and leaves his wife behind him, and leaves no children, that then his brother should take his wife and raise up seed for his brother. ²⁰ There were seven brethren. The first took a wife, and when he died left no seed behind him. ²¹ And the second took her, and died also not leaving any seed. And the third likewise. ²² And all seven had her, but left no seed behind them. Last of all, the wife died also. ²³ In the resurrection then, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For seven of them had her as wife.

²⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, Are you not therefore deceived, and do not understand the scriptures, nor the power of God? ²⁵ For when they rise again from death, people neither marry nor are married, but are as the angels who are in heaven. ²⁶ And concerning the dead, that they will rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses how in the bush God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? ²⁷ He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly deceived.