So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,

For this reason it says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.

Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”

For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,

For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.

For to which of the angels did He ever say,
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You”? And again,“I will be a Father to Him
And He shall be a Son to Me”?

And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says,
“And let all the angels of God worship Him.”

And of the angels He says,
“Who makes His angels winds,
And His ministers a flame of fire.”

But of the Son He says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.

Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today if you hear His voice,

just as He says also in another passage,
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”

Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.”

For finding fault with them, He says,
“Behold, days are coming, says the Lord,
When I will effect a new covenant
With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;

Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers
On the day when I took them by the hand
To lead them out of the land of Egypt;
For they did not continue in My covenant,
And I did not care for them, says the Lord.

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into their minds,
And I will write them on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;

And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,
“Sacrifice and offering You have not desired,
But a body You have prepared for Me;

“This is the covenant that I will make with them
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws upon their heart,
And on their mind I will write them,”
He then says,

For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,

so that we confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?

But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”

Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. Cross references: 1 John 1:1 : John 1:1f; 1 John 2:13, 14 1 John 1:1 : Acts 4:20; 1 John 1:3 1 John 1:1 : John 19:35; 2 Pet 1:16; 1 John 1:2 1 John 1:1 : John 1:14; 1 John 4:14 1 John 1:1 : Luke 24:39; John 20:27 1 John 1:1 : John 1:1, 4 1 John 1:2 : John 1:4; 1 John 3:5, 8; 5:20 1 John 1:2 : John 19:35; 1 John 1:1 1 John 1:2 : John 15:27; 1 John 4:14 1 John 1:2 : John 10:28; 17:3; 1 John 2:25; 5:11, 13, 20 1 John 1:2 : John 1:1 1 John 1:2 : John 1:4; 1 John 3:5, 8; 5:20 1 John 1:3 : John 19:35; 2 Pet 1:16; 1 John 1:1 1 John 1:3 : Acts 4:20; 1 John 1:1 1 John 1:3 : John 17:3, 21; 1 Cor 1:9 1 John 1:4 : 1 John 2:1 1 John 1:4 : John 3:29 1 John 1:5 : John 1:19; 1 John 3:11 1 John 1:5 : 1 Tim 6:16; James 1:17 1 John 1:6 : John 8:12; 1 John 2:11 1 John 1:6 : John 8:55; 1 John 2:4; 4:20 1 John 1:6 : John 3:21 1 John 1:7 : Is 2:5 1 John 1:7 : 1 Tim 6:16 1 John 1:7 : Titus 2:14 1 John 1:8 : Job 15:14; Prov 20:9; Rom 3:10ff; James 3:2 1 John 1:8 : John 8:44; 1 John 2:4 1 John 1:9 : Ps 32:5; Prov 28:13 1 John 1:9 : Titus 2:14 1 John 1:10 : Job 15:14 1 John 1:10 : John 3:33; 1 John 5:10 1 John 1:10 : 1 John 2:14 end of crossrefs

The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.

I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:

‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:

But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:

Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say,“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”

And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”

To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.’

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.