Now, brothers, we ask and entreat you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, to live as you learned from us that you must live, to please God??s indeed you are doing, only do it more and more.

and you are doing it to all the brothers all over Macedonia. But we do entreat you, brothers, to surpass yourselves

We do not want you to be under any misapprehension, brothers, about those who are falling asleep. You must not grieve for them, as others do who have no hope.

then those of us who are still living will be caught up with them on clouds into the air to meet the Lord, and so we shall be with the Lord forever.

But you are not in darkness, brothers, so that that Day should surprise you like thieves.

who died for us so that whether we are still alive or fall asleep we may live with him.

Therefore encourage one another and strengthen one another, just as you are doing.

As a result, we ourselves speak of you with pride in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in the face of all the persecutions and troubles you are having to endure.

This is a proof of God's justice in judging, and it is to prove you worthy of the Kingdom of God, for the sake of which you are suffering,

since God considers it only just to repay with suffering those who are making you suffer

and to give rest to you who are suffering and to us, when our Lord Jesus appears from heaven, with his mighty angels

and full of wicked deception for men who are going to destruction, because they refused to love the truth and be saved.

We have faith in you through the Lord that you are doing and will keep doing what we direct you to do.

For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work.

These are the instructions that I intrust to you, my son Timothy, and they are in accordance with the predictions made long ago about you. Fight the good fight with their aid,

for emperors and all who are in authority, so that we may live tranquil, quiet lives, with perfect piety and probity.

I want the men everywhere to offer prayer, lifting to heaven hands that are holy, without any angry disputes.

Women for their part are to dress modestly and sensibly in proper clothes, not adorning themselves by braiding their hair or with gold or pearls or expensive clothing,

so that if I am delayed, you may know how we are to conduct ourselves in the household of God, for it is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

Let no one look down on you because you are young, but set those who believe an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

Look after widows who are really dependent.

Any Christian woman who has widowed relatives should look after them, and relieve the church, so that it can look after widows who are really dependent.

Those who are found guilty you must reprove publicly, as a warning to others.

Some men's sins are perfectly evident, and lead them right on to judgment, but there are others whose sins only dog their steps.

Good deeds too are evident enough, or when they are not, they cannot be wholly concealed.

All who are under the yoke of slavery must treat their masters with the greatest respect, so that the name of God and our teaching may not be abused.

Those who have Christian masters must not think lightly of them because they are brothers; they must serve them all the more faithfully, because those who benefit by it are believers and hence dear to them. These are the things you must teach and preach.

and mutual irritation between people of depraved minds, who are lost to the truth and think of religion only as a means of gain.

How true those words are! "If we have died with him, we will live with him!

If we are unfaithful, he will remain faithful, for he cannot be false to himself!"

In any large house there are not only gold and silver dishes but also wooden and earthen ones, some for great occasions and some for ordinary use.

Understand this, that in the last days there are going to be hard times.

They are the kind of men who make their way into people's houses and make captives of poor, weak women, loaded down with their sins and under the control of all sorts of impulses,

Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, these people in turn oppose the truth; they are men of depraved minds and counterfeit faith.

I left you behind in Crete expressly to correct what defects there were, and to appoint elders in each town, as I directed you??6 men of irreproachable character, who have been married only once, whose children are Christians, free from any suspicion of profligacy or disobedience.

For there are many undisciplined people, who deceive themselves with their empty talk, especially those of the party of circumcision.

It was a Cretan, a prophet of their own, who said, "Cretans are always liars, savage brutes, lazy gluttons,"

To the pure everything is pure, but to the evil-minded and unbelieving nothing is pure, but their very minds and consciences are unclean.

They profess to know God, but they disown him by what they do; they are detestable, disobedient men, worthless for any good purpose.

But have nothing to do with foolish controversies, pedigrees, strife, and wrangles about the Law, for they are profitless and futile.

All who are with me wish to be remembered to you. Remember me to all believers who love me. God bless you all.

For to what angel did God ever say, "You are my Son! I have today become your Father"? Or again, "I will become his Father, and he shall become my Son"?

And you will fold them up like a mantle, And change them as one changes his coat. But you are always the same, and your years will have no end!"

Are not the angels all spirits in service, whom he sends on his errands for the good of those who are destined to possess salvation?

For it was not for angels that he destined the control of that world to be, that we are speaking of.

For both he who purifies them and they who are purified spring from one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,

For because he has himself been tempted in what he has suffered he is able to help others who are in trial.

but Christ's faithfulness was that of a son set over the house of God. And we are that house, if we keep up our courage and our triumphant hope to the very end.

That was why I was angry with that generation, And I said, 'Their minds are always wandering, And they have never found my paths.'

For we are true partners with Christ if we really keep the conviction that we had at first unshaken to the very end.

For we who have believed are admitted to that Rest, of which he said, "As I made oath in my anger, They shall never be admitted to my Rest!" And yet God's work was finished at the creation of the world,

For all who are admitted to God's Rest rest after their work, just as God did after his.

So even Christ did not claim for himself the dignity of the high priesthood, but he was appointed to it by him who said to him, "You are my Son! I have today become your Father!"

For he says in another passage, "You are a priest forever of the priesthood of Melchizedek."

But full-grown men have a right to solid food, for their faculties are trained by practice to distinguish right and wrong.

But about you, dear friends, even though we say this, we are sure of better things that promise salvation.

so that you may never grow careless, but may learn to follow the example of those who through their faith and endurance are the possessors of God's promises.

Those of the descendants of Levi who are appointed to the priesthood are directed by the Law to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their own brothers, although they are descended from Abraham like themselves.

For the psalm bears witness, "You are a priest forever, of the priesthood of Melchizedek!"

for God took no oath in appointing the old priests, but he made oath to his appointment, when he said to him, "The Lord has sworn it and he will not change; You are a priest forever!"

Further, if he were still on earth, he would not be a priest at all, for there are priests enough provided to offer the gifts the Law prescribes??5 though the service they engage in is only a shadow and imitation of that in heaven. For when Moses was going to make the tent of worship he was warned, "Be sure to make it all just like the pattern you were shown on the mountain."

But, as it is, the priestly service to which Christ has been appointed is as much better than the old as the agreement established by him and the promises on which it is based are superior to the former ones.

And just as men are destined to die once and after that to be judged,

so the Christ too, after being offered in sacrifice once for all to carry away the sins of many, will appear again but without any burden of sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him to come and save them.

For by that one sacrifice he has forever qualified those who are purified from sin to approach God.

But when these are forgiven, there is no more need of offerings for sin.

but you will need endurance if you are to carry out God's will and receive the blessing he has promised.

For men who recognize that show that they are in search of a country of their own.

But, as it is, their aspirations are for a better, a heavenly country! That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city to receive them.

Therefore, let us too, with such a crowd of witnesses about us, throw off every impediment and the entanglement of sin, and run with determination the race for which we are entered,

But if you have none of that discipline which all sons undergo, you are illegitimate children, and not true sons.

Discipline is never pleasant at the time; it is painful; but to those who are trained by it, it afterward yields the peace of character.

And keep your feet in straight paths, so that limbs that are lame may not be dislocated but instead be cured.

Remember those who are in prison as though you were in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated as being yourselves liable to the same trials.

For the bodies of the animals whose blood is taken into the sanctuary by the high priest are burned outside the camp.

for we have no permanent city here on earth, but we are in search of the city that is to come.

Obey your leaders and give way to them, for they are keeping watch in defense of your souls, as men accountable for the trust. Make their work a joy and not a grief, for that would be the worse for you.

James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes that are scattered over the world.

If anyone thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives himself, his religious observances are of no account.

have you not wavered and shown that your judgments are guided by base motives?

But you humiliate the poor. Are not the rich your oppressors? Is it not they who drag you into court?

If you really obey the supreme law where the Scripture says, "You must love your neighbor as you do yourself," you are doing right,

but if you show partiality, you are committing a sin, and stand convicted before the Law as lawbreakers.

For he who said, "You must not commit adultery," said also, "You must not commit murder." Now if you abstain from adultery, but commit murder, you are still a violator of the Law.

Even ships, great as they are, and driven by strong winds, are steered with a very small rudder wherever the pilot pleases.

What causes wars and fights among you? Is it not your cravings, which are at war within your bodies?

Do not talk against one another, brothers. Whoever talks against a brother or condemns his brother talks against the Law, and condemns the Law. But if you condemn the Law you are not an observer of the Law but its judge.

There is only one lawgiver and judge??e who has the power to save and to destroy; who are you, to judge your neighbor?

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to such and such a town, to stay a year and go into business and make money,"

when you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow! You are just a mist, which appears for a little while and then disappears.

Come now, you rich people! weep aloud and howl over the miseries that are going to overtake you!

Your wealth has rotted, your clothes are moth-eaten,

your gold and silver are rusted, and their rust will testify against you and eat into your very flesh, for you have stored up fire for the last days.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are scattered as foreigners over Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

and you by God's power are being protected through faith to receive a salvation that is now ready to be disclosed at the last time.

they are to show that your faith when tested is found to be more precious than gold, which though it is perishable is tested with fire, and they will bring you praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, and with perfect calmness fix your hopes on the mercy that you are to experience when Jesus Christ is revealed.

But you are the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the consecrated nation, his own people, so that you may declare the virtues of him who has called you out of darkness into his wonderful light;

you who were once "no people" but are now "God's people"; once "unpitied" but now "pitied indeed."

Dear friends, I beg you, as aliens and exiles here, not to indulge the physical cravings that are at war with the soul.