Book of Common Prayer
The sweet living, love, and works of the people who believe in Christ.
12 I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercifulness of God, to make your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable serving of God. 2 Do not fashion yourselves to this world, but be changed in your nature by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is that good, that favourable, and perfect will of God.
3 For I say by the grace that is given to me, to everyone among you, that no one should think of himself more than it behoves him to think, but should soberly judge of himself, as God has given to each the measure of faith. 4 Just as we have many members in one body, and all members do not have the same service, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone among us one another’s members. 6 Seeing that we have different gifts, according to the grace that is given to us, if one has the gift of prophecy, let him have it agreeing to the faith. 7 Let him who has an office attend to his duty. Let him who teaches take heed to his doctrine. 8 Let him who exhorts give heed to his exhortation. If anyone gives, let him do it with sincerity. Let him who governs do it with diligence. If anyone shows mercy, let him do it with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without dissembling. Hate that which is evil, and cleave unto that which is good. 10 Be kind to one another, with brotherly love. Honour others before yourselves. 11 Let not the work that you have in hand be tedious to you. Be fervent in the Spirit. Apply yourselves to the time. 12 Rejoice in hope. Be patient in tribulation. Continue in prayer. 13 Give to meet the needs of the saints, and be ready to take people in.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless, but curse not. 15 Be merry with those who are merry. Weep with those who weep. 16 Be of equal affection one towards another. Be not high-minded, but make yourselves equal to the lowly. Do not be wise in your own opinions. 17 Repay no one evil for evil. Provide beforehand for things that are honourable in the sight of all people. 18 If it is possible, as for your part, have peace with all people.
19 Dearly beloveds, do not avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God. For it is written: Vengeance is mine, and I will reward, says the Lord. 20 Therefore: If your enemy hungers, feed him, and if he thirsts, give him drink. For in so doing, you will heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with goodness.
Christ, with his apostles, goes from town to town and preaches, explains the parable of the seed, says who is his mother and his brother, and stills the raging of the sea. He delivers the possessed man and drives the devils into the herd of swine, and helps the sick woman and Jairus’ daughter.
8 And it happened after that, that he went throughout cities and towns, preaching and proclaiming the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered to them from their substance.
4 When crowds of people were gathered together, having come to him out of all places, he spoke by a similitude: 5 A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and it was trodden under foot, and the fowls of the air devoured it up. 6 And some fell on stone, and as soon as it had sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bore fruit a hundredfold.
And as he said these things, he called: He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
9 His disciples asked him, saying, What manner of similitude is this? 10 And he said, To you it is given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God. But to others they remain in similitudes, so that when they see, they will not see, and when they hear, they will not understand.
11 The similitude is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those who are beside the way are the people that hear, but afterward the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 Those on the stones are people who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. But these have no roots, and for a while believe, but in time of trial go away. 14 As for that which fell among thorns, this is those who hear and go forth, but are choked with cares, and with riches and voluptuous living, and bring forth no fruit. 15 As for that in the good ground, this is those who with a good and pure heart hear the word, and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.