Book of Common Prayer

¹³ We believe that Jesus died and rose again. And because of what Jesus did, God will bring back with him those who have died.

¹⁴ We tell you what the Lord said. We who are still alive when the Lord comes, will not go ahead of those who have died.

¹⁵ The Lord himself will come down from heaven. There will be a shout, a great angel will speak, and God's loud horn or trumpet will be blown.

¹⁶ Then we who are still alive on earth will be caught up together with those who were dead. We will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And then we will be with the Lord forever!

¹⁷ Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

6 Do not do good things so that people will see you do them. If you do, you will get no reward from your Father in heaven.

² `So when you give money to poor people, do not send men in front of you to blow trumpets or horns. Some people do this in the meeting houses and on the streets so that people will praise them. They are not true to themselves. I tell you the truth. They have their pay already.

³ But when you give money to poor people, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

⁴ In this way, what you give to the poor will be secret. Your Father sees secret things and he will reward you.

⁵ `When you talk to God, do not be like people who are not true to themselves. They like to stand and talk to God in the meeting houses and at the street corners, so that people will see them. I tell you the truth. They have their reward already.

⁶ But when you talk to God, go into your room and shut the door. Then talk to your Father in secret. Your Father sees secret things and he will reward you.

¹⁶ `When you are fasting [not eating food for a time], do not look sad. That is what people do who are not true to themselves. They look sad to show people they are fasting. I tell you the truth. They have their reward already.

¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face as you do at other times.

¹⁸ Then people will not see that you are fasting. But your Father sees secret things, and he will reward you.'