Book of Common Prayer

He promises to come to them, and he exhorts them to get themselves in order so that he may find them perfect and in harmony.

13 Now I am coming the third time to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall everything be established. ² I told you before and I am warning you now, and as I said when I was present with you the second time, so I write now, being absent, to those who in time past have sinned and to all others: if I come again, I will not spare, ³ seeing that you seek proof of Christ who speaks in me – who among you is not weak, but is mighty in you. ⁴ And indeed, though it came of weakness that he was crucified, yet he lives through the power of God. And we no doubt are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the might of God among you.

⁵ Prove yourselves, whether you are in the faith or not. Examine your own selves. Do you not know your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless you are castaways. ⁶ I trust that you will realize that we are not castaways.

⁷ I desire before God that you do no evil – not that we should seem commendable, but that you should do that which is honourable. And let us be counted as uncommendable persons.

⁸ We can do nothing against the truth, only for the truth. ⁹ We are glad when we are weak and you strong. This also we wish for: even that you were perfect. ¹⁰ Therefore I write these things being absent, lest when I am present I must use sharpness, according to the power that the Lord has given me – to build up, and not to break down.

¹¹ Finally, brethren, fare ye well. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

¹² Greet one another in a holy kiss. ¹³ All the saints send greetings to you. ¹⁴ May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

The end of the second epistle to the Corinthians.
Sent from Philippi, a city in
Macedonia, by the
hands of Titus
and Lucas.

They ask Christ one question, and he asks them another. The parable of the vineyard. Of tribute to be given to Caesar, and how Christ stops the mouths of the Sadducees.

20 And it happened in one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, the high priests and the scribes came with the elders ² and spoke to him, saying, Tell us by what authority you do these things. Or who is it that gave you this authority? ³ He answered and said to them, I also will ask you a question, and answer me. ⁴ The baptism of John: was it from heaven, or of men?

⁵ And they thought within themselves, saying, If we say from heaven, he will say, Why then did you not believe him? ⁶ But if we say of men, all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John is a prophet. ⁷ And they answered that they did not know where it was from.

⁸ And Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.