Book of Common Prayer
Knowing the power of the Messiah
15 Because of all this, and because I’d heard that you are loyal and faithful to Jesus the master, and that you show love to all God’s holy people, 16 I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of Messiah Jesus our Lord, the father of glory, would give you, in your spirit, the gift of being wise, of seeing things people can’t normally see, because you are coming to know him 18 and to have the eyes of your inmost self opened to God’s light. Then you will know exactly what the hope is that goes with God’s call; you will know the wealth of the glory of his inheritance in his holy people; 19 and you will know the outstanding greatness of his power towards us who are loyal to him in faith, according to the working of his strength and power.
20 This was the power at work in the Messiah when God raised him from the dead and sat him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 above all rule and authority and power and lordship, and above every name that is invoked, both in the present age and also in the age to come. 22 Yes: God has “put all things under his feet,” and has given him to the church as the head over all. 23 The church is his body; it is the fullness of the one who fills all in all.
The calling of the disciples
14 After John’s arrest, Jesus came into Galilee, announcing God’s good news.
15 “The time is fulfilled!” he said; “God’s kingdom is arriving! Turn back, and believe the good news!”
16 As he went along beside the sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were fishermen, and were casting nets into the sea.
17 “Follow me!” said Jesus to them. “I’ll have you fishing for people!”
18 Straight away they left their nets and followed him. 19 He went on a bit, and saw James, Zebedee’s son, and John his brother. They were in the boat mending their nets, 20 and he called them then and there. They left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went off after him.
Exorcism and healings
21 They went to Capernaum. At once, on the sabbath, Jesus went into the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astonished at his teaching. He wasn’t like the legal teachers; he said things on his own authority.
23 All at once, in their synagogue, there was a man with an unclean spirit.
24 “What business have you got with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” he yelled. “Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: you’re God’s Holy One!”
25 “Be quiet!” ordered Jesus. “And come out of him!”
26 The unclean spirit convulsed the man, gave a great shout, and came out of him. 27 Everyone was astonished.
“What’s this?” they started to say to each other. “New teaching—with real authority! He even tells the unclean spirits what to do, and they do it!”
28 Word about Jesus spread at once, all over the surrounding district of Galilee.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.