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.

²¹ And Jesus said to the people, Is the candle lighted to be put under a bushel or under the table, and not rather to be put on a candlestick? ²² For there is nothing so hid that it will not be revealed, nor so secret but that it may become clear. ²³ If any person has ears to hear, let him hear.

²⁴ And he said to them, Attend with care to what you hear. With the same measure you give, it will be measured back to you. And to you who hear, more will be given. ²⁵ For to him who has, it will be given, but from him who has not shall be taken away even what he has.

²⁶ And he said, The kingdom of God is like this: it is as if a man sows seed in the ground, ²⁷ and sleeps, and rises up night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows up, he knows not how. ²⁸ For the earth brings forth fruit of herself: first the blade, then the ears, after that the full grain in the ears. ²⁹ And as soon as the fruit is brought forth, immediately the man thrusts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.

³⁰ And he said, To what may we liken the kingdom of God? or what comparison can we use? ³¹ It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is the least of all seeds that are in the earth. ³² But after it is sown, it grows up and is greatest of all shrubs, and bears great branches, so that the birds of the air may dwell under the cover of it.

³³ And with many such similitudes he preached the word to the people, as they were able to hear it. ³⁴ And without similitude he spoke nothing to them. But when they were apart, he expounded all things to his disciples.