Let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ. Let no corrupt communications proceed out of your mouth; neither foolish talking nor jesting. Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Speak evil of no man, let your speech be always with grace, that ye may know how to answer every man. Bear ye one another’s burdens; have compassion one of another, be pitiful, be courteous. Your adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of wearing gold, or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart; even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight of God, of great price. And whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, think on these things.
Wherefore, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience, the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For ye have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, for in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are. Trust in him at all times; pour out your heart before him; and he will be very gracious at the voice of your cry: when he shall hear it, he will answer. And he will feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom. And forget not the exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto children, “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him.” For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. For our light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
For ye are not come to the mount which might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and a tempest; but ye are come unto mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Having, therefore, these promises, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.
Therefore, dearly beloved, our joy and our crown, so stand fast in the Lord, our dearly beloved. For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. And what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes, before our God. For what is our hope, and joy, and crown of rejoicing? are not even ye in the presence of the Lord? For the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of God. Then we shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall be ever with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.
Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.