Book of Common Prayer

Godliness and contentment

⁶ If it’s gain you want, though, there is plenty to be had in godliness—if it’s combined with contentment. ⁷ We brought nothing into the world, after all, and we certainly can’t take anything out. ⁸ If we have food and clothing, we should be satisfied with it. ⁹ People who want to be rich, by contrast, fall into temptation and a trap, into many foolish and dangerous lusts which drown people in devastation and destruction. ¹⁰ The love of money, you see, is the root of all evil. Some people have been so eager to get rich that they have wandered away from the faith and have impaled themselves painfully in several ways.

The Messiah’s royal appearing

¹¹ But you, man of God—you must run away from all this. Instead, chase after justice, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. ¹² Fight the noble fight of the faith, get a firm grasp on the life of the coming age, the life you were called to when you made the noble public profession before many witnesses. ¹³ I give you this charge before God, who gives life to all things, and Messiah Jesus, who made the noble profession before Pontius Pilate: ¹⁴ be undefiled and blameless as you keep the commandment, until the royal appearing of our Lord Messiah Jesus, ¹⁵ which the blessed and only Sovereign One, the King of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at its proper time. ¹⁶ He is the only one who possesses immortality; he lives in unapproachable light; no human being has seen him, or can see him. To him be eternal honor and power, Amen!

What to do with money

¹⁷ What about people who are rich in this present world? Tell them not to think of themselves too highly, and to set their hopes, not on something so uncertain as riches, but on the God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. ¹⁸ They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous and eager to share. ¹⁹ That way, they will treasure up for themselves a good foundation for the future, and thereby come to possess the life which really is life.

²⁰ Well then, Timothy: keep guard over what has been entrusted to you. Turn away from the pointless and empty talk and contradictions of what is wrongly called “knowledge.” ²¹ Some have claimed to be experts in it, but have missed the target when it comes to the faith.

Grace be with you all.

The parable of the weeds explained

³⁶ Then Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came and joined him.

“Explain to us,” they said, “the parable of the weeds in the field.”

³⁷ “The one who sows the good seed,” said Jesus, “is the son of man. ³⁸ The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one; ³⁹ the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.

⁴⁰ “So: when the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, that’s what it will be like at the close of the age. ⁴¹ The son of man will send out his angels, and they will collect together out of his kingdom everything that causes offense, and everyone who acts wickedly. ⁴² They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. If you have ears, then hear!”