Book of Common Prayer
The divine purpose, and limited role, of ruling authorities
13 Every person must be subject to the ruling authorities. There is no authority, you see, except from God, and those that exist have been put in place by God. 2 As a result, anyone who rebels against authority is resisting what God has set up, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terrors for people who do good, but only for people who do evil.
If you want to have no fear of the ruling power, do what is good, and it will praise you. 4 It is God’s servant, you see, for you and your good. But if you do evil, be afraid; the sword it carries is no empty gesture. It is God’s servant, you see: an agent of justice to bring his anger on evildoers. 5 That is why it is necessary to submit, not only to avoid punishment but because of conscience.
6 That, too, is why you pay taxes. The officials in question are God’s ministers, attending to this very thing. 7 So pay each of them what is owed: tribute to those who collect it, revenue to those who collect it. Respect those who should be respected. Honor the people one ought to honor.
The Last Supper
26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to the disciples.
“Take it and eat it,” he said, “this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup; and, after giving thanks, he gave it to them.
“Drink this, all of you,” he said. 28 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But let me tell you this: I will not drink any more from this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my father.”
30 They sang a hymn, and went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, “You are all going to stumble and fall tonight because of me. This is what the Bible says, you see:
I shall strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.
32 “But after I am raised up, I shall go on ahead of you to Galilee.”
33 “Even if everyone else trips and falls,” said Peter in reply to him, “I’m never going to do that!”
34 “I’m telling you the truth,” said Jesus to him, “this very night, before the cock has crowed, you will deny me three times.”
35 “Even if I have to die with you,” said Peter to him, “I won’t ever deny you!”
And all the disciples said the same.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.