Then when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these do?" He replied, "Yes, Lord, you know I love you." Jesus told him, "Feed my lambs."

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced peace and thus was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church increased in numbers.

When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts,

They strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, "We must enter the kingdom of God through many persecutions."

Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.

But I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God.

And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith,

Not that I have already attained this -- that is, I have not already been perfected -- but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.

We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ.

Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.

Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God,

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. Let them do this with joy and not with complaints, for this would be no advantage for you.

The work

for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry."

But I do not consider my life worth anything to myself, so that I may finish my task and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God's grace.

If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach;

One should think about us this way -- as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be?

Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged.

And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

We do not give anyone an occasion for taking an offense in anything, so that no fault may be found with our ministry.

And tell Archippus, "See to it that you complete the ministry you received in the Lord."

I am grateful to the one who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful in putting me into ministry,

You, however, be self-controlled in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist's work, fulfill your ministry.

The edifying

From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body grows in love.

So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up.

The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up.

Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.

The body

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling,

Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body -- for the sake of his body, the church -- what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.

General references

They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not recognize the stranger's voice."

To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.

Do not treat prophecies with contempt.