Book of Common Prayer

⁸ So you think you now have everything you need and are rich! You think you are kings and do not need us! I wish that you really were kings. Then we would be kings along with you.

⁹ It seems to me that God has put us apostles at the end of the line. We are like men who are to be put to death. The whole world, angels and men, look at us.

¹⁰ We are fools for Christ's sake! But you think Christ has made you wise. We are weak, but you are strong! You have glory, we have shame!

¹¹ Even now we are hungry and thirsty. We need clothes. We are beaten and we have no home.

¹² We work hard with our hands. People curse us, but we bless them. They trouble us much, but we must take it.

¹³ They talk behind our backs, but we still try to win them. People treat us as a dirt pile, the rubbish of the world. And they still do these things.

¹⁴ I do not write these things to make you ashamed. But you are my dear children and I want to teach you.

¹⁵ Even if you have ten thousand people to take care of you as Christians, yet you do not have many fathers. I am your Christian father because I brought you the good news.

¹⁶ So I beg you, do as I do.

¹⁷ That is why I am sending Timothy to you. I love Timothy very much. He is my Christian son. I can trust him. He will tell you again my Christian ways of living. I teach these same ways in every church meeting everywhere.

¹⁸ Some of you are proud of yourselves. You think I am not coming to visit you.

¹⁹ But I will come soon if it is the Lord's will. Then I will find, not the talk of those proud people, but their power.

²⁰ The place where God rules is not a matter of talk, but of power.

²¹ Which do you want? Shall I come to you with a stick to beat you, or shall I come with love and a kind spirit?

²¹ `You have heard this said to men long ago, "Do not kill. Anyone who kills will be judged in court."

²² `But I tell you this. Anyone who is angry with his brother without having a good reason, will be judged in court. Anyone who says wrong things to his brother will be judged for it in the big court. Anyone who says "You fool!" will be judged to go into hell fire.

²³ `Perhaps you are bringing your gift to God at his altar. There you remember that your brother has something against you.

²⁴ If so, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go to your brother and make things right with him. Then come and give your gift to God.

²⁵ `If someone wants to take you to court, make an agreement with him quickly on the way. If you do not, he will take you to the judge. The judge will give you to the guard, and the guard will put you in prison.

²⁶ I tell you the truth, you will not get out of prison until you have paid every piece of money.'