Book of Common Prayer

¹¹ And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as did the dragon. ¹² And he did all that the first beast could do in his presence. And he caused the earth and those who dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³ And he did great wonders, so that he made fire come down from heaven in the sight of men, ¹⁴ and deceived those who dwelt on the earth by means of those signs that he had power to do in the sight of the beast, saying to those who dwelt on the earth that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound of a sword and did live.

¹⁵ And he had power to give a spirit to the image of the beast, and that the image of the beast should speak, and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. ¹⁶ And he made all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, receive a mark in their right hands or in their foreheads. ¹⁷ And no one could buy or sell except one who had the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ¹⁸ Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

³² Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s pleasure to give you a kingdom. ³³ Sell what you have and give alms, and make yourselves pouches that won’t wear out, and treasure that won’t fail in heaven, where no thief comes or moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also.

³⁵ Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning, ³⁶ and you yourselves like men waiting for their master, for when he will return from a wedding, so that as soon as he comes and knocks, they can open to him. ³⁷ Happy are those servants whom the Lord, when he comes, finds watching. Truly I say to you, he will gird himself about and make them sit down to food, and walk by and minister to them. ³⁸ And if he comes in the second watch, yea if he comes in the third watch, and finds them so, happy are those servants. ³⁹ This understand: if the householder knew what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and not allow his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ Be prepared therefore, for the Son of man will come at an hour when you think not.

⁴¹ Then Peter said to him, Master, do you speak this similitude to us, or to all men? ⁴² And the Lord said, If there be any servant faithful and wise, whom his lord appoints over his household to give them their portion of food at due season, ⁴³ happy is that servant whom his master, when he comes, finds so doing. ⁴⁴ Of a truth I say to you, he will appoint him over all that he has. ⁴⁵ But if the evil servant says in his heart, My master will defer his coming, and begins to smite the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and to be drunken, ⁴⁶ the lord of that servant will come in a day when he thinks not, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will separate him, and will give him his reward with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷ The servant that knew his master’s will and did not prepare himself, nor do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. ⁴⁸ But he who did not know, and yet committed things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. For to whom much is given, of him will much be required. And to whom men commit much, the more will they ask of him.