Book of Common Prayer

A special exhortation for all bishops or priests to feed the flock of Christ, and what their duty is, and what reward they shall have if they be diligent. He exhorts young persons to submit themselves to the elders, and everyone to love one another, to be sober, and to watch so that they may resist the enemy.

5 The elders who are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the afflictions of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. ² See that you feed the flock of Christ that is among you, taking the oversight of them not as though you were compelled to it, but willingly; ³ not for wrongful gain, but of a good mind; not as though you were lords over the parishes, but so that you are an example to the flock. ⁴ And when the chief shepherd appears, you shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory.

⁵ Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to the elders. Submit yourselves everyone, one to another. Knit yourselves together in lowliness of mind. For God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. ⁶ Submit yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you when the time is come. ⁷ Cast all your care upon him, for he cares for you.

⁸ Be sober and watch, for your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour; ⁹ whom resist steadfast in the faith, remembering that you do but fulfil the same afflictions as are appointed to your brethren that are in the world. ¹⁰ The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, will his own self, after you have suffered a little affliction, make you perfect – will settle, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹ To him be glory and dominion forever and while the world endures. Amen.

¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ¹⁶ You may know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, nor yet can a bad tree bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore, by their fruits you may know them.

²¹ Not all who say to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name have cast out devils, and in your name done many miracles? ²³ And then I will declare to them that I never knew them. Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity!

²⁴ Whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. ²⁵ And much rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that same house; and it did not fall, because it was grounded on the rock. ²⁶ And whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them not shall be likened to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. ²⁷ And much rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell. And great was the fall of it.

²⁸ And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his instruction. ²⁹ For he taught them as one having power, and not as the scribes.