Book of Common Prayer

²⁷ You are the body of Christ, and members of one another.

²⁸ And God has also set in the congregation, first the apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, then those who do miracles; after that are the gifts of healing, helpers, managers, diversity of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ Covet the best gifts. And yet, I show you a more excellent way.

The nature and attributes of love.

13 Though I spoke with the tongues of men and angels, and yet had no love, I would be even as sounding brass, or as a ringing cymbal. ² And though I could prophesy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge – yea if I had all faith, so that I could move mountains out of their places – and yet had no love, I would be nothing. ³ And if I bestowed all my goods to feed the poor, and even if I gave my body to be burned, and yet had no love, it profits me nothing.

⁴ Love suffers long, and is kind. Love does not envy. Love is not contrary, does not swell up, ⁵ does not deal dishonourably, seeks not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not take pleasure in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ suffers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures in all things. ⁸ Though prophesying fail, or tongues cease, or knowledge vanish away, yet love never falls away.

⁹ For our knowledge is imperfect, and our prophesying is imperfect. ¹⁰ But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is imperfect shall be put away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I imagined as a child. But as soon as I was a man, I put away childishness. ¹² Now we see as is reflected to us in a mysterious word, but then we shall see face to face. Now I know imperfectly, but then I shall know even as I am known. ¹³ Now faith, hope, and love, these three things abide, but the chief of these is love.

²¹ Then Peter came to him and said, Master, how often should I forgive my brother if he sins against me? Seven times?

²² Jesus said to him, I say to you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is likened to a certain king who wished to take accounts from his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents. ²⁵ Because he had nothing to pay with, his master ordered him to be sold, and his wife and his children and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶ The servant fell down and besought him, saying, Sir, give me respite, and I will pay it every whit. ²⁷ Then the lord had pity on that servant and released him, and forgave him the debt.

²⁸ And that same servant went out and found one of his fellows who owed him 100 denarii, and laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what you owe! ²⁹ And his fellow servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything. ³⁰ But he would not, and went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt.

³¹ When the other servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and went and told their lord all that had happened. ³² Then his lord called the man and said to him, O evil servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Was it not right also that you should have had compassion on your fellow, just as I had pity on you? ³⁴ And his lord was angry, and delivered him to the jailers till he should pay all that was due to him. ³⁵ So likewise shall my heavenly Father do with you, unless you forgive with your hearts each one his brother’s trespasses.