He should be a man who is respected by the people outside the church, so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the Devil's trap.

In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

In Joppa there was a woman named Tabitha, who was a believer. (Her name in Greek is Dorcas, meaning "a deer.") She spent all her time doing good and helping the poor.

"Captain Cornelius sent us," they answered. "He is a good man who worships God and is highly respected by all the Jewish people. An angel of God told him to invite you to his house, so that he could hear what you have to say."

Paul traveled on to Derbe and Lystra, where a Christian named Timothy lived. His mother, who was also a Christian, was Jewish, but his father was a Greek.

Paul wanted to take Timothy along with him, so he circumcised him. He did so because all the Jews who lived in those places knew that Timothy's father was Greek.

"In that city was a man named Ananias, a religious man who obeyed our Law and was highly respected by all the Jews living there.

But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these.

Your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and praise of God.

Give yourself to the LORD; trust in him, and he will help you;

he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.

But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it.

"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites! They love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on the street corners, so that everyone will see them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full.

"No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a bowl; instead, it is put on the lampstand, so that people may see the light as they come in.