Book of Common Prayer

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, and the first begotten of all creatures. ¹⁶ For by him were all things created: things that are in heaven and things that are in earth, things visible and things invisible, whether they be majesty, or lordship, or rule, or power. All things are created by him and in him, ¹⁷ and he is before all things, and in him all things have their being.

¹⁸ And he is the head of the body; that is to say, of the congregation. He is the beginning and first begotten of the dead, so that in all things he may have the pre-eminence. ¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and by him to reconcile all things to himself, and to set at peace by him, through the blood of his cross, both things in heaven and things in earth.

²¹ And you, who were in times past strangers and enemies because your minds were set in evil works, he has now reconciled ²² in the body of his flesh through death, to make you holy, unblameable, and without fault in his own sight – ²³ if you continue grounded and established in the faith, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, of which you have heard how it is preached among all creatures under heaven, and of which I, Paul, am made a minister.

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ But John stopped him, saying, I ought to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? ¹⁵ Jesus answered and said to him, Let it be so now, for thus it behoves us, to fulfil all righteousness.

Then John let him. ¹⁶ And Jesus, as soon as he was baptized, came straight out of the water. And lo, heaven was open over him, and John saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and light upon him. ¹⁷ And lo, there came a voice from heaven, saying, This is he: my beloved Son, in whom is my delight.