To them who have obtained like precious faith with us, through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
We thank our God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of ours, making request for you with joy. Being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you, will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. Even as it is meet for us to think this of you all, because we have you in our heart. For, ye remember our labour, how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged, every one of you, as a father does his children; and we were with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling; and our exhortation was not of deceit, nor in guile; neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know; nor of men sought we glory, neither of you. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children; so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but our own souls also, because ye were dear unto us.
Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God. For you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein, in times past, ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; among whom we all had our conversation in times past, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. For ye were as sheep going astray, but now are returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls.
Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children, and walk worthy of the vocation whereby ye are called. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of the light. If then ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever. And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even your faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? And Jesus saith, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me. If a man love me, he will keep my commandments, and my father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends—Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.” If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. For every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him. And by this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And we have known and believed the love which God hath towards us.—God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. Know ye not that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God? And ye are not your own, but are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your bodies, and in your spirits, which are his.
Search the scriptures, for in them ye have eternal life. For the entrance of that word giveth light, and giveth understanding to the simple. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandments of the Lord are pure, enlightening the eyes; more to be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and the honey comb. Let the word of God, therefore, dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.
Pray without ceasing; in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
But of the times and seasons, ye need not that we write unto you, for ye know Him that hath said, “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God.” Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it. And if thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, and from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shall honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord. Exhort one another daily while it is called to-day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is.
Be not conformed to the world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Love not the world, neither the things of the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.—Ye cannot serve God and mammon.—Hear now what the Lord saith; “He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me; and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God; for they are not all Israel, that are of Israel; for many walk, of whom we have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, who are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven.—Ye shall know them by their fruits.
In all things show yourselves a pattern of good works, that they of a contrary part may have no evil thing to say of you. Be not wise in your own conceits, for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. For the wisdom that cometh from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Be kindly affectionate one to another, in honour preferring one another. Be not desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh from God only. Be content with such things as ye have, for godliness with contentment, is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out, and having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.