Book of Common Prayer

¹² All things are lawful to me, but all things are not profitable. I may do all things, but I will be brought under no man’s power. ¹³ Foods are for the belly, and the belly for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Let not the body be given to fornication, but to the Lord, and the Lord to the body. ¹⁴ God has raised up the Lord, and will raise us up by his power. ¹⁵ Or do you not consider that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I now take the members of Christ and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. ¹⁶ Do you not understand that he who couples himself with a harlot has become one body with her? For two (says he) shall be one flesh. ¹⁷ But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

¹⁸ Flee fornication. All sins that a man does are outside the body, but he who is a fornicator sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Or do you not know that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have of God, and that you are not your own? ²⁰ For you are dearly bought. Therefore glorify God in your bodies and in your spirits, for they are God’s.

Of alms, prayer, and fasting. Jesus forbids the care of seeking the things of this life.

6 Take heed to your alms, that you do not give in the sight of men with the intent to be seen by them, or you will receive no reward from your Father who is in heaven. ² Whenever therefore you give your alms, do not make a trumpet to be blown before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. ³ But when you give, let not your left hand know what your right hand does, ⁴ so that your giving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

⁵ And when you pray, do not be as the hypocrites are. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, because they want to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. ⁶ But when you pray, enter into your chamber and shut the door to, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

¹⁶ Moreover, when you fast, do not be sad like the hypocrites are. For they disfigure their faces so they may be seen by men, how they fast. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it does not appear to men that you are fasting, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.