Book of Common Prayer
The battle of faith
18 I am giving you this command, Timothy my child, in accordance with the prophecies which were made about you before, so that, as they said, you may fight the glorious battle, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected conscience, and their faith has been shipwrecked. 20 I include Hymenaeus and Alexander in that category. Indeed, I have handed them over to the satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.
The first rule: prayer for the world
2 So, then, this is my very first command: God’s people should make petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings on behalf of all people— 2 on behalf of kings, and all who hold high office, so that we may lead a tranquil and peaceful life, in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good; it is acceptable with God our savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to know the truth. 5 For, you see,
There is one God,
and also one mediator between God and humans,
Messiah Jesus, himself a human being.
6 He gave himself as a ransom for all,
and this was testified when the time was right.
7 This is why I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I’m speaking the truth, I’m not lying!), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Women must be allowed to be learners
8 So this is what I want: the men should pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, with no anger or disputing.
The sign of Jonah
33 “You must make up your mind between two possibilities,” Jesus went on. “Either the tree is good, in which case its fruit is good; or the tree is bad, in which case its fruit is bad. You can tell the tree by its fruits, after all.
34 “You’re a family of snakes! How can you say good things when you’re bad inside? What the mouth speaks is what fills the heart. 35 A good person produces good things from a good storeroom; an evil person produces evil things from an evil storeroom. 36 Let me tell you this: on judgment day people will have to own up to every trivial word they say. 37 Yes: you will be vindicated by your own words—and you will be condemned by your own words.”
38 “Teacher,” responded some of the scribes and Pharisees. “We would like to see a sign from you.”
39 “This wicked and immoral generation is looking for a sign,” replied Jesus. “But no sign will be given to it—except the sign of Jonah. 40 Jonah, you see, was in the stomach of the sea-monster for three days and three nights—and in the same way the son of man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment along with this generation and will condemn it. They, after all, repented when they heard Jonah’s warnings! And, in case you hadn’t noticed, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will be raised at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it. She, after all, came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon! And, in case you hadn’t noticed, something greater than Solomon is here.”
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.