Book of Common Prayer

¹⁴ But how can people call on him on whom they have not believed? How can they believe on him, if they have not heard of him? How can they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how can men preach, unless they be sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.

¹⁶ But they have not all hearkened to the gospel. For Isaiah says: Lord, who believes our message? ¹⁷ So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the word of God. 18But, I ask, have they not heard?  No doubt: Their sound went out into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world.

¹⁹ But I demand whether Israel did know, or not? First Moses says: I will provoke you to envy by those who are not a people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. ²⁰ Isaiah after that is bold and says: I am found by those who were not seeking me, and have appeared to those who were not asking for me. ²¹ And against Israel he says: All day long I have stretched out my hands to a people that does not believe, but speaks against me.

³² Learn from a similitude of the fig tree: when its branches are yet tender and its leaves sprung, you know that summer is near. ³³ So likewise you, when you see all these things, may be sure that it is near, even at the doors. ³⁴ Truly I say to you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled.

³⁵ Heaven and earth shall perish, but my words will abide. ³⁶ But of that day and hour no man knows – no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. ³⁷ As the time of Noah was, so likewise will the coming of the Son of man be. ³⁸ For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and were married, right up to the day that Noah entered into the ship, ³⁹ and knew of nothing till the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of man be. ⁴⁰ Then two will be in the fields; the one will be received, and the other will be refused. ⁴¹ Two will be grinding at the mill; the one will be received, and the other will be refused.

⁴² Watch therefore, because you do not know what hour your master will come. ⁴³ Of this be sure: if the householder knew what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and not allow his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ Therefore you also be ready, because in the hour you think he would not, the Son of man will come.

⁴⁵ If there be any servant faithful and wise, whom his master has appointed over his household, to give them food in due season, ⁴⁶ happy is that servant whom his master (when he comes) finds so doing. ⁴⁷ Truly I say to you, he will appoint him over all his goods. ⁴⁸ But if the evil servant says in his heart, My master will defer his coming, ⁴⁹ and begins to smite his fellow servants, yea and to eat and to drink with the drunken, ⁵⁰ the servant’s master will come in a day when he is not expecting him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, ⁵¹ and will separate him, and give him his reward with the hypocrites. And there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.