Book of Common Prayer
Prayer for wisdom and gratitude
9 For this reason, from the day we heard it, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We’re asking God to fill you with the knowledge of what he wants in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. 10 This will mean that you’ll be able to conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Lord, and so give him real delight, as you bear fruit in every good work and grow up in the knowledge of God. 11 I pray that you’ll be given all possible strength, according to the power of his glory, so that you’ll have complete patience and become truly steadfast and joyful.
12 And I pray that you will learn to give thanks to the father, who has made you fit to share the inheritance of God’s holy ones in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved son. 14 He is the one in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
In praise of Jesus Christ
15 He is the image of God, the invisible one, the firstborn of all creation.
16 For in him all things were created,
in the heavens and here on the earth.
Things we can see and things we cannot,
—thrones and lordships and rulers and powers—
all things were created both through him and for him.
17 And he is ahead, prior to all else
and in him all things hold together;
18 and he himself is supreme, the head
over the body, the church.
He is the start of it all,
firstborn from realms of the dead;
so in all things he might be the chief.
19 For in him all the Fullness was glad to dwell
20 and through him to reconcile all to himself,
making peace through the blood of his cross,
through him—yes, things on the earth,
and also the things in the heavens.
22 When the time came for them to be purified according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him before the Lord. 23 That’s what the law of the Lord says: “Every firstborn male shall be called holy to the Lord.” 24 They also came to offer sacrifice, according to what it says in the law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout, waiting for God to comfort Israel, and the holy spirit was upon him. 26 He had been told by the holy spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Led by the spirit, he came into the Temple. As Jesus’ parents brought him in, to do for him what the law’s regulations required, 28 he took the baby in his arms and blessed God with these words:
29 “Now, Master, you are dismissing your servant in peace,
just as you said.
30 These eyes of mine have seen your salvation,
31 which you made ready in the presence of all peoples:
32 a light for revelation to the nations,
and glory for your people Israel.”
33 His father and mother were astonished at the things that were said about him. 34 Simeon blessed them.
“Listen,” he said to Mary his mother, “this child has been placed here to make many in Israel fall and rise again, and as a sign that will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will go through your own soul as well), so that the thoughts of many hearts may be disclosed.”
36 There was also a prophetess called Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having been widowed after a seven-year marriage, 37 and was now eighty-four. She never left the Temple, but worshiped with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 She came up at that moment and gave thanks to God, and spoke about Jesus to everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 So when they had finished everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, and was full of wisdom, and God’s grace was upon him.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.