Scripture Reading

²⁴But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.

²⁵Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

²⁶For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

²⁷For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

²⁸I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

²⁹Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:

³⁰Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

³³And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

³⁴And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

³⁵But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

³⁶And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.

³⁷And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

³⁸But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

³⁹No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.