Book of Common Prayer

¹⁷ I beseech you, brethren, to mark those who cause division and give occasion to evil, contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught, and avoid them. ¹⁸ For such people do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own interests, and with sweet preaching and flattering words deceive the hearts of the simple and unlearned. ¹⁹ For your duty to listen extends to all men. Without question I am pleased with you, but still, I want you to be wise in that which is good, and to be innocent concerning evil.

²⁰ May the God of peace tread Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

²¹ Timothy my work-fellow, and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen, greet you. ²² I, Tertius, who wrote this letter in the Lord, greet you. ²³ Gaius, my host and the host of all the congregations, greets you. Erastus, the chamberlain of the city, greets you. And Quartus, a brother, greets you. ²⁴ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

²⁵ Now to him who is of power to establish you by my gospel and preaching of Jesus Christ, whereby is revealed the mystery that was kept secret since the world began, ²⁶ but now is shown by the scriptures of prophecy, at the commandment of the everlasting God, to stir up obedience to the faith proclaimed among all nations – ²⁷ to the same God, who alone is wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

To the Romans. Sent from Corinth by
the hand of Phoebe, she who
ministered to the
congregation at
Cenchrea.

³² And as they went out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon; him they compelled to bear his cross. ³³ And when they came to the place called Golgotha (which means, a place of dead men’s skulls), ³⁴ they gave him vinegar to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted of it, he would not drink.

³⁵ When they had crucified him, they parted his garments and cast lots, to fulfil that which was spoken by the prophet: They divided my garments among them, and for my vesture did cast lots. ³⁶ And they sat and kept watch over him there. ³⁷ And they set up over his head his accusation, written this is jesus, the king of the jews. ³⁸ And there were two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand and another on the left.

³⁹ The people who passed by reviled him, wagging their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, You who destroy the temple of God and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!

⁴¹ Likewise also the high priests, mocking him with the scribes and elders, said, ⁴² He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he really is the king of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe him. ⁴³ He trusted in God – let him deliver him now, if he will have him. For he said, I am the Son of God.

⁴⁴ Also the thieves who were crucified with him cast the same in his teeth.