Book of Common Prayer

¹⁸ This charge I commit to you, son Timotheus, according to the prophecies that in time past were prophesied of you, so that you in them will fight a good fight, ¹⁹ having faith and a good conscience – which some have put away from them, and as concerning faith have made shipwreck. ²⁰ Of this number are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan so that they might be taught not to blaspheme.

He exhorts to pray for all people. He will not have women in showy attire, nor to teach in the congregation, but to be in silence and to obey their husbands.

2 I exhort therefore that, above all things, prayers, supplications, intercessions, and giving of thanks be had for all people, ² for kings and for all that are in authority, that we may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and sanctity. ³ For that is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, ⁴ who would have all people saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, which is the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself a ransom for all, that it should be testified at his time. ⁷ For this I am ordained a preacher and an apostle. I speak the truth in Christ, and do not speak falsely, being the teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸ I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up pure hands, without wrath or doubting.

³³ Either judge the tree good, and its fruit correspondingly good, or else judge the tree evil, and its fruit evil also. For the tree is known by its fruit.

³⁴ O offspring of vipers, how can you speak good things when you yourselves are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. ³⁵ A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good things. And an evil man, out of his evil treasure, brings forth evil things. ³⁶ But I say to you that for every idle word that men speak, they will give account at the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

³⁸ Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, Teacher, we would like to see a sign from you. ³⁹ He answered and said to them, The evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, but there shall be no sign given to them except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹ The people of Ninevah will rise at the day of judgment with this nation and condemn it, for they reformed at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The queen of the south will rise at the day of judgment with this generation and will condemn them, for she came from the furthermost parts of the world to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, one greater than Solomon is here.