Book of Common Prayer

He tells them how greatly he was moved with joy when Timothy told him of their faith and love.

3 Therefore, since we could bear it no longer, it pleased us to remain at Athens alone, ² and we sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our labour-fellow in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen you and to comfort you over your faith, ³ so that no one would be shaken in these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are even appointed to this. ⁴ For indeed, when I was with you, I warned that we would suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass and as you know. ⁵ For this reason, when I could no longer bear it, I sent to find out about your faith, lest perhaps the tempter had tempted you and our labour had been bestowed in vain.

⁶ But now lately Timothy has come from you to us, and told us about your faith and your love, and that you have good remembrance of us always, desiring to see us as we desire to see you. ⁷ Therefore, brethren, we had consolation in you, in all our adversity and need, through your faith. ⁸ For now we are alive, if you stand steadfast in the Lord. ⁹ For what thanks we can render to God for you, for all the joy that we have on your account before our God, ¹⁰ while we pray very much night and day that we might see you personally, and might make up that which is lacking in your faith.

¹¹ May God himself our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ guide our journey to you. ¹² And may the Lord prosper you, and make you flow over in love toward one another and toward all men, even as we do toward you, ¹³ to make your hearts constant and unblameable in holiness before God our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

²⁷ You have heard how it was said to the people of the old time, You shall not commit adultery. ²⁸ But I say to you that whosoever looks on a wife, lusting after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart. ²⁹ Therefore, if your right eye causes you to offend, tear it out and cast it from you. It is better for you that one of your members perish than that your whole body should be cast into hell. ³⁰ Also, if your right hand causes you to offend, cut it off and cast it from you. Better it is that one of your members perish, than that all your body should be cast into hell.

³¹ It is said, Whosoever puts away his wife, let him give her a testimonial also of the divorce. ³² But I say to you, whosoever puts away his wife (unless it be for fornication), causes her to break matrimony. And whoever marries her who is divorced, breaks wedlock.

³³ Again, you have heard how it was said to the people of old time, Do not forswear yourself, but perform your oath to God. ³⁴ But I say to you, do not swear at all – neither by heaven, for it is God’s seat, ³⁵ nor yet by the earth, for it his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of that great king. ³⁶ Neither should you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your communication be yes, yes, and no, no. For whatever is more than that, comes of evil.