Book of Common Prayer

¹⁸ For I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that will be shown upon us.

¹⁹ Also, the fervent desire of the creatures endures, looking for when the sons of God will appear, ²⁰ because the creatures are subdued to vanity against their will, but for the will of him who subjects them in hope. ²¹ For the very creatures will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that every creature groans with us also, and travails in pain, even to this time.

²³ Not only they, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit mourn in ourselves, and await the adoption, and look for the deliverance of our bodies. ²⁴ For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is no hope. For how can a person hope for that which he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for that which we do not see, then with patience we await it.

²³ The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him, ²⁴ saying, Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies having no children, the brother should marry the widow and raise up seed for his brother. ²⁵ There were with us seven brethren. The first married and died without issue, and left his wife to his brother. ²⁶ Likewise the second and the third, down to the seventh. ²⁷ Last of all the woman died also. ²⁸ Now in the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had her.

²⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, You are deceived, and do not understand the scriptures, nor yet the power of God. ³⁰ For in the resurrection people neither marry nor are married, but are as the angels in heaven. ³¹ As for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what is spoken to you by God, who says, ³² I am Abraham’s God, and Isaac’s God, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

³³ And when the people heard that, they were astonished at his teaching.

³⁴ When the Pharisees heard how he had put the Sadducees to silence, they drew together. ³⁵ One of them, who was a doctor of the law, asked him a question, testing him and saying, ³⁶ Teacher, which is the chief commandment in the law? ³⁷ Jesus said to him, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind; ³⁸ this is the first and the chief commandment. ³⁹ And there is another like this: Love your neighbour as yourself. ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.