Book of Common Prayer
He exhorts the people to lay aside all vice, shows that Christ is the foundation they have built upon, and prays them to abstain from fleshly lusts and to obey worldly rulers. How servants should conduct themselves toward their masters. He exhorts them to suffer after the example of Christ.
2 Therefore, lay aside all vice, and all guile and dissimulation and envy, and all backbiting. 2 And as newborn babes, desire the milk (not of the body, but of the soul) that is without corruption, so that you may grow therein – 3 if it so be that you have tasted that the Lord is sweet, 4 to whom you come as to a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God, and precious.
5 And you, as living stones, are made a spiritual house, and a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Of this it is contained in the scripture: Behold, I put in Zion a head cornerstone, elect and precious; and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.
7 To you therefore who believe, he is precious. But to those who do not believe, the stone which the builders refused is made the head stone in the corner, 8 and a stone to stumble at, and a rock to offend those who stumble at the word and do not believe that whereon they were set.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and his own special people, in order that you should show forth the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light – 10 you who in time past were not a people, yet are now the people of God; who were not under mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
The true vine. The husbandman and the branches. A doctrine of love. A sweet comfort against persecutions.
15 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he will take away. And every branch that bears fruit he will prune, so that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now you are clean through the words that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and let me abide in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, no more can you unless you abide in me.
5 I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit. For without me you can do nothing. 6 If a person does not abide in me, he is cast forth like a branch, and is withered; and men gather it and cast it into the fire, and it burns. 7 If you abide in me, and my words also abide in you, ask what you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 In this is my Father glorified: that you bear much fruit and be made my disciples.
9 As the Father has loved me, even so have I loved you. Continue in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
11 These things I have spoken to you so that my joy may remain in you, and so that your joy may be full.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.