But the Lord has reduced the number of those days; if he had not, nobody would survive. For the sake of his chosen people, however, he has reduced those days.

It is like this. A woman takes some yeast and mixes it with a bushel of flour until the whole batch of dough rises."

It is not right for you to be proud! You know the saying, "A little bit of yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise."

You must remove the old yeast of sin so that you will be entirely pure. Then you will be like a new batch of dough without any yeast, as indeed I know you actually are. For our Passover Festival is ready, now that Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

"It takes only a little yeast to make the whole batch of dough rise," as they say.

Those who claim to be respectable are more and more convinced they are right.

The road the righteous travel is like the sunrise, getting brighter and brighter until daylight has come.

Let us try to know the LORD. He will come to us as surely as the day dawns, as surely as the spring rains fall upon the earth."

He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit.

"I have much more to tell you, but now it would be too much for you to bear.

When, however, the Spirit comes, who reveals the truth about God, he will lead you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own authority, but he will speak of what he hears and will tell you of things to come.

And so I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus.

I pray that your love will keep on growing more and more, together with true knowledge and perfect judgment,

because God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose.

so that you may be innocent and pure as God's perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky,

May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way and keep your whole being---spirit, soul, and body---free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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

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