Book of Common Prayer

¹³ We believe the same way as the one who wrote, `I believed, and so I talked.' We also believe, and so we talk to you.

¹⁴ We know this. God raised up the Lord Jesus, and he will raise us up also with Jesus. He will bring us all to stand together before God.

¹⁵ All this is happening for you so that the blessings of God will reach more people. Then more people will thank God. And this will make God's name greater.

¹⁶ So we do not give up. Our body gets weak, but our heart gets new strength day after day.

¹⁷ The load of trouble we carry now is a little heavy. But this trouble is getting something great and wonderful ready for us which will last for ever.

5 Our body is the house in which our spirit lives here on earth. When that house is destroyed, then God will give us another house. That house is not made by man's hand. But God made it. It will last for ever in heaven.

² While we are in the house we have now, we are always crying and wanting to have our house from heaven.

³ When we have moved into it, then we are sure that we will never be left without a house.

⁴ While we are in this house, we cry and are troubled. It is not that we want to move out of this house, but we want to move into the other one. Then this body which will die will be changed into one which will live.

⁵ God is the one who has made us ready for this change. He has already given us the Spirit. This is the first part of what we are to receive, and it proves that we will get more.

⁶ So we always feel sure. While we live in our bodies we are not in our house with the Lord. We know that.

⁷ We do not see these things, but we believe them.

⁸ We feel sure that we will want to leave this body and go to live with the Lord.

⁹ So it does not matter if we are living here or go to live there. Wherever we are we want to please the Lord.

¹⁰ We must all stand before Christ to be judged. Then we will receive pay. If we have done well, our pay will be good. If we have not done well, our pay will not be good.

6 Do not do good things so that people will see you do them. If you do, you will get no reward from your Father in heaven.

² `So when you give money to poor people, do not send men in front of you to blow trumpets or horns. Some people do this in the meeting houses and on the streets so that people will praise them. They are not true to themselves. I tell you the truth. They have their pay already.

³ But when you give money to poor people, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

⁴ In this way, what you give to the poor will be secret. Your Father sees secret things and he will reward you.

⁵ `When you talk to God, do not be like people who are not true to themselves. They like to stand and talk to God in the meeting houses and at the street corners, so that people will see them. I tell you the truth. They have their reward already.

⁶ But when you talk to God, go into your room and shut the door. Then talk to your Father in secret. Your Father sees secret things and he will reward you.

⁷ `And when you talk to God, do not say words that mean nothing, over and over again. People who do not believe in God do that. They think their god will hear them because they say many words.

⁸ Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ So talk to your God like this: "Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

¹⁰ "May your kingdom come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹ "Give us our food for today.

¹² "Forgive us for the wrong things we have done, the way we forgive those who have done wrong things to us.

¹³ "Do not test us but help us, so that no one will make us do wrong. Deliver us from the evil one. The kingdom and power and praise belong to you for ever. Amen!"

¹⁴ `If you forgive others for the wrong things they have done, then your Father in heaven will forgive you.

¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you for the wrong things you have done.'

¹⁶ `When you are fasting [not eating food for a time], do not look sad. That is what people do who are not true to themselves. They look sad to show people they are fasting. I tell you the truth. They have their reward already.