Book of Common Prayer
What good and evil comes through the tongue. The duty of the learned. The difference between the wisdom of the gospel and the wisdom of the world.
3 My brethren, be not every man a counsellor, remembering that we will receive the stricter judgment. 2 For in many things, we all sin.
If a person does not sin in word, he is a perfect man, and able to tame all the body. 3 Behold, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, and we turn about all their body. 4 Behold also the ships, which, though they be so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet are turned about with a very small helm, wherever the helmsman chooses to steer. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, yet boasts great things.
Behold how great a thing a little fire kindles. 6 And the tongue is fire, and a world of wickedness. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets afire all the course of our life, and is itself set afire even by hell.
7 All kinds of beasts, and of birds and of serpents and things of the sea, are meeked and tamed by the powers of man. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. 10 Out of one mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Does a spring send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter also? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries, or a vine bear figs? Likewise can no spring give both salt water and fresh also.
Christ teaches his disciples to avoid occasions of evil, to forgive one another, steadfastly to trust in God, and that no one should presume in his own works. He heals the ten lepers, and speaks of the latter days, and of the end of the world.
17 Then Jesus said to his disciples, It cannot be avoided but that offences will come. Nevertheless, woe be to him through whom they come. 2 It would be better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck and that he were cast into the sea, than that he should hurt one of these little ones.
3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother trespasses against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns again to you saying, I am sorry – forgive him.
5 And the apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith. 6 And the Lord said, If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, and were to say to this sycamine tree, Pluck yourself up by the roots and plant yourself in the sea, it would obey you.
7 Who among you, if he had a servant plowing or feeding sheep, would say to him when he came in from the field, Go quickly, and sit down to food? 8 And not rather say to him, Prepare for me to sup, and gird yourself up, and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you shall eat and drink? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did that which was commanded of him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all the things that are commanded of you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.