We, however, are citizens of heaven, and we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven.

He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like his own glorious body, using that power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule.

Since all these things will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people should you be? Your lives should be holy and dedicated to God,

But we wait for what God has promised: new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will be at home.

God is my witness that I tell the truth when I say that my deep feeling for you all comes from the heart of Christ Jesus himself.

He is anxious to see you all and is very upset because you had heard that he was sick.

as you offer them the message of life. If you do so, I shall have reason to be proud of you on the Day of Christ, because it will show that all my effort and work have not been wasted.

(SEE 1:13)

After all, it is you---you, no less than others!---who are our hope, our joy, and our reason for boasting of our victory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes.

Indeed, you are our pride and our joy!

Now we can give thanks to our God for you. We thank him for the joy we have in his presence because of you.

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.

Trust in the LORD. Have faith, do not despair. Trust in the LORD.

Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which can never be shaken, never be moved.

Everyone will hate you because of me. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved.

So Jesus said to those who believed in him, "If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples;

You have been made clean already by the teaching I have given you.

Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me.

They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship, and sharing in the fellowship meals and the prayers.

When he arrived and saw how God had blessed the people, he was glad and urged them all to be faithful and true to the Lord with all their hearts.

They strengthened the believers and encouraged them to remain true to the faith. "We must pass through many troubles to enter the Kingdom of God," they taught.

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

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.

Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong.

Freedom is what we have---Christ has set us free! Stand, then, as free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again.

Finally, build up your strength in union with the Lord and by means of his mighty power.

For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.

So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate,

At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One.

Do all this in prayer, asking for God's help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God's people.

Greetings from Epaphras, another member of your group and a servant of Christ Jesus. He always prays fervently for you, asking God to make you stand firm, as mature and fully convinced Christians, in complete obedience to God's will.

because now we really live if you stand firm in your life in union with the Lord.

In this way he will strengthen you, and you will be perfect and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all who belong to him.

So then, our friends, stand firm and hold on to those truths which we taught you, both in our preaching and in our letter.

As for you, my son, be strong through the grace that is ours in union with Christ Jesus.

For we are all partners with Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at the beginning.

Let us, then, hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God---Jesus, the Son of God.

Let us hold on firmly to the hope we profess, because we can trust God to keep his promise.

Do not lose your courage, then, because it brings with it a great reward.

You need to be patient, in order to do the will of God and receive what he promises.

But you, my friends, already know this. Be on your guard, then, so that you will not be led away by the errors of lawless people and fall from your safe position.

But you, my friends, keep on building yourselves up on your most sacred faith. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,

and keep yourselves in the love of God, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life.

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to bring you faultless and joyful before his glorious presence---

to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority, from all ages past, and now, and forever and ever! Amen.

Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you safe from the time of trouble which is coming upon the world to test all the people on earth.

I am coming soon. Keep safe what you have, so that no one will rob you of your victory prize.