Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby.

and make straight paths for your feet, so that which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,

whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens."

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

For we don't have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come.

But don't forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

But I exhort you, brothers, endure the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.

But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.

But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position;

But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man's religion is worthless.

But you have dishonored the poor man. Don't the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?

But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?

But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?

Indeed, we put bits into the horses' mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body.

But nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth.

This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Don't speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Only one is the lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge another?

But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil.

But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath; but let your "yes" be "yes," and your "no," "no;" so that you don't fall into hypocrisy.

Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials,

To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;

but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ;

who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake,

having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.

but the Lord's word endures forever." This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.

coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.

For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone,"

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

who in time past were no people, but now are God's people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.

For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.

Who, when he was cursed, didn't curse back. When he suffered, didn't threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously;

For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious.

as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are, if you do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.

not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "Don't fear what they fear, neither be troubled."

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:

Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you -- not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit.

But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.

But because you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.

But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter.

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly;

neither as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.

Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.

For if God didn't spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

and didn't spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly;

but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;

But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed,

but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man's voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.

But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, "The dog turns to his own vomit again," and "the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire."

But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

But don't forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

But whoever keeps his word, God's love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him:

Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn't know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn't the Father's, but is the world's.

The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God's will remains forever.

They went out from us, but they didn't belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.

I have not written to you because you don't know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.

Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.

As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.

But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him?

My little children, let's not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.

Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.