and with him Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of yourselves. They will tell you everything that has taken place here.

My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, and also Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you have received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him.)

and also Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved to be a comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is one of your number, a servant of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts.

to live a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men,

For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming?

not in the passion of lust like the heathen, who do not know God;

Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

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

Then we who are alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

For those who sleep, sleep at night; and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with him.

But we ask you, brethren, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,

He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,

and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,

inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

when he comes to be glorified in his saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believedbecause our testimony to you was believed.

who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

and with all the deception of wickedness for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in wickedness.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who is living in idleness and not according to the tradition which you received from us.

realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.

It is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinnersof whom I am the foremost.

But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.

Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.

for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.

who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

who gave himself as a ransom for allthe testimony given at the proper time.

but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess godliness.

And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.

For those who have served well as deacons gain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

Honor widows who are real widows.

Now she who is a real widow, and who has been left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.

But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.

and she must be well known for her good deeds, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved those in distress, and devoted herself to doing good in every way.

If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them, and let not the church be burdened, so that it may assist those who are real widows.

The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also may be fearful of sinning.

Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be spoken against.

Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but they must serve them all the better, because those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these duties.

and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a means of gain.

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who made the good confession before Pontius Pilate,

which he will bring about at the proper timehe who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with everything to enjoy.

I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.

who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and the grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

but has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

For this reason I also suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure that has been entrusted to you.

You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

And the things you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

No soldier in active service gets entangled in civilian affairs, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

who have gone astray from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and upset the faith of some.

Nevertheless, God's firm foundation stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who names the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God will grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, weighed down with sins and swayed by various impulses,

Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, knowing from whom you learned it,

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:

In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,

he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to refute those who contradict it.

and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who reject the truth.

To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are corrupted and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, zealous for good deeds.

whom he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

This is a trustworthy saying; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are excellent and profitable for men.

Warn a man who is factious once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him,

All who are with me send you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the world.

Of the angels he says, "Who makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire."

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to serve for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him,

But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.

For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

For because he himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Therefore, holy brethren, who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.

He was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house.

Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?