So then, my friends, how dear you are to me and how I miss you! How happy you make me, and how proud I am of you!---this, dear friends, is how you should stand firm in your life in the Lord.

I write this to you, not because I want to make you feel ashamed, but to instruct you as my own dear children.

I appeal to you, my friends, as strangers and refugees in this world! Do not give in to bodily passions, which are always at war against the soul.

because of the way in which you have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until now.

Now, the important thing is that your way of life should be as the gospel of Christ requires, so that, whether or not I am able to go and see you, I will hear that you are standing firm with one common purpose and that with only one desire you are fighting together for the faith of the gospel.

For you have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him.

Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead.

So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above.

The reward for doing good is life, but sin leads only to more sin.

No matter how much a lazy person may want something, he will never get it. A hard worker will get everything he wants.

From the time John preached his message until this very day the Kingdom of heaven has suffered violent attacks, and violent men try to seize it.

Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.

Someone asked him, "Sir, will just a few people be saved?" Jesus answered them,

"Do your best to go in through the narrow door; because many people will surely try to go in but will not be able.

Do not work for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God, the Father, has put his mark of approval on him."

Jesus answered, "What God wants you to do is to believe in the one he sent."

Some people keep on doing good, and seek glory, honor, and immortal life; to them God will give eternal life.

Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only one of them wins the prize. Run, then, in such a way as to win the prize.

That is why I run straight for the finish line; that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches.

So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless.

Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. You will reap exactly what you plant.

So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.

For we remember before our God and Father how you put your faith into practice, how your love made you work so hard, and how your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ is firm.

Let us, then, do our best to receive that rest, so that no one of us will fail as they did because of their lack of faith.

God is not unfair. He will not forget the work you did or the love you showed for him in the help you gave and are still giving to other Christians.

Our great desire is that each of you keep up your eagerness to the end, so that the things you hope for will come true.

As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us.

For this very reason do your best to add goodness to your faith; to your goodness add knowledge;

to your godliness add Christian affection; and to your Christian affection add love.

But if you do not have them, you are so shortsighted that you cannot see and have forgotten that you have been purified from your past sins.

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.

If it is the Lord's will, I hope that I will be able to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may be encouraged by news about you.

You must do this, because you know that the time has come for you to wake up from your sleep. For the moment when we will be saved is closer now than it was when we first believed.

Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of day---no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no fighting or jealousy.

While working with the Jews, I live like a Jew in order to win them; and even though I myself am not subject to the Law of Moses, I live as though I were when working with those who are, in order to win them.

Among the weak in faith I become weak like one of them, in order to win them. So I become all things to all people, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible.

and so I endure everything for the sake of God's chosen people, in order that they too may obtain the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus and brings eternal glory.

Now we must make a solemn promise to our God that we will send these women and their children away. We will do what you and the others who honor God's commands advise us to do. We will do what God's Law demands.

Serve the LORD with fear; tremble

Because of you I am afraid; I am filled with fear because of your judgments.

I myself created the whole universe! I am pleased with those who are humble and repentant, who fear me and obey me.

Listen to what the LORD says, you that fear him and obey him: "Because you are faithful to me, some of your own people hate you and will have nothing to do with you. They mock you and say, 'Let the LORD show his greatness and save you, so that we may see you rejoice.' But they themselves will be disgraced!

"But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do."

The jailer called for a light, rushed in, and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas.

So when I came to you, I was weak and trembled all over with fear,

And so his love for you grows stronger, as he remembers how all of you were ready to obey his instructions, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling.

Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling; and do it with a sincere heart, as though you were serving Christ.

Now, God has offered us the promise that we may receive that rest he spoke about. Let us take care, then, that none of you will be found to have failed to receive that promised rest.

Let us be thankful, then, because we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be grateful and worship God in a way that will please him, with reverence and awe;

because our God is indeed a destroying fire.