Book of Common Prayer

Paul shows them what manner of people they were before their conversion, and what they are now in Christ. We are ordained for good works.

2 And you he has quickened to life also, who were dead in trespass and sin, ² in which you walked in time past according to the course of this world, and followed the prince that rules in the air – the spirit that now works in the children of unbelief, ³ among whom we also had our living in time past, in the lusts of our flesh, and fulfilled the will of the flesh and of the mind, and were naturally the children of wrath fully as well as others.

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, through his great love that he loved us with ⁵ even when we were dead by sin, has quickened us to life together in Christ (for by grace you are saved), ⁶ and has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly things through Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order to show in times to come the exceeding riches of his grace, in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you are saved, through faith – and that not of yourselves. For it is the gift of God, ⁹ and does not come by works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, to which God ordained us before, that we should walk in them.

²⁴ The disciple is not above his teacher, nor yet the servant above his lord. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple to be as his teacher is, and that the servant be as his lord is. If they have called the Lord of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household so? ²⁶ Fear them not therefore. There is nothing so closed that it will not be opened, and nothing so hid that it will not be known.

²⁷ What I tell you in darkness, that speak in light. And what you hear in the ear, that preach on the house tops. ²⁸ And fear not those who kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body into hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And yet none of them lights on the ground without your Father. ³⁰ And now all the hairs of your heads are numbered. ³¹ Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.

³² Whosoever therefore acknowledges me before men, him will I acknowledge also before my Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whosoever denies me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.

⁴⁰ He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me, receives him who sent me. ⁴¹ He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, will receive the reward of a righteous man. ⁴² And whosoever gives one of these little ones to drink a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, I tell you of a truth, he shall not lose his reward.