Book of Common Prayer

The unfaithfulness of the Jews. Two kinds of righteousness.

10 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. ² For I can attest that they have a fervent heart for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For they are ignorant of the righteousness that is admitted before God, and go about to establish their own righteousness, and therefore give no heed to the righteousness that is of value before God. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law, to justify all who believe.

⁵ Moses describes the righteousness which comes of the law, how the person who does the things of the law will live therein. ⁶ But the righteousness that comes by faith speaks this way: Say not in your heart, who shall ascend into heaven? (which is nothing else than to fetch Christ down), ⁷ or, who shall descend into the deep? (which is nothing else than to fetch Christ up from death). ⁸ But what does the scripture say? The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart. This word is the word of faith that we preach. ⁹ For if you acknowledge with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and believe with your heart that God raised him up from death, you will be safe. ¹⁰ For the belief of the heart justifies, and to acknowledge with the mouth makes a man safe. ¹¹ For the scripture says: Whoever believes on him, will not be ashamed.

¹² There is no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles. For there is one Lord over all, who richly blesses all who call on him. ¹³ For: Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

¹⁵ When you therefore see the abomination that betokens desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place, let him who reads it, understand it. ¹⁶ Then let those who are in Judea flee into the mountains. ¹⁷ And let him who is on the housetop not come down to fetch anything out of his house. ¹⁸ Neither let him who is in the field return back to fetch his clothes. ¹⁹ Woe shall be in those days to women that are with child, and to those who give suck. ²⁰ But pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day. ²¹ For then will be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, nor will be. ²² Yea and unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the sake of the chosen, those days will be shortened.

²³ Then if anyone says to you, See, here is Christ! or, There is Christ! – believe it not. ²⁴ For false christs and false prophets will arise, and will do great miracles and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, the very elect should be deceived. ²⁵ Take heed, I have told you beforehand. ²⁶ So if they say to you, Behold, he is in the desert! go not forth; or, Behold, he is in the secret places! believe it not. ²⁷ For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines to the west, so will the coming of the Son of man be. ²⁸ For wherever the dead body is, there will the eagles resort.

²⁹ Immediately after the tribulations of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall move. ³⁰ And then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. And then shall all the kindreds of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And he will send his angels with the great voice of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen from the four winds, and from the one end of the world to the other.