But although we suffered earlier and were mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of much opposition.

In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly.

Timothy, my child, I am instructing you in keeping with the prophecies made earlier about you, so that by following them you may continue to fight the good fight

but to repeat the text cited earlier: "They will never enter my rest!"

On the one hand we have here the abrogation of an earlier code because it was weak and ineffective--

But call to mind the earlier days in which, having been enlightened, ye endured much conflict of sufferings;

to remember the sayings that were earlier spoken by the holy prophets, and of the command of your apostles of the Lord and Savior.

I know your deeds: your love, faith, service, and steadfast endurance. In fact, your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones.

So, the [demonic] spirits assembled the kings together at the place which is called "Armageddon" in Hebrew. [Note: "Armageddon" means "mountain of Megiddo" and was a site in northwestern Palestine where several decisive battles had been fought centuries earlier. See Judges 4,5,7].