If any of you have a sore on your skin or a boil or an inflammation which could develop into a dreaded skin disease, you shall be brought to the Aaronite priest.

You must distinguish between what belongs to God and what is for general use, between what is ritually clean and what is unclean.

"The priests are to teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is not, and between what is ritually clean and what is not.

He said, "Ask the priests for a ruling on this question:

It is the duty of priests to teach the true knowledge of God. People should go to them to learn my will, because they are the messengers of the LORD Almighty.

So keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he made his own through the blood of his Son.

Now we know that everything in the Law applies to those who live under the Law, in order to stop all human excuses and bring the whole world under God's judgment.

For no one is put right in God's sight by doing what the Law requires; what the Law does is to make us know that we have sinned.

Shall we say, then, that the Law itself is sinful? Of course not! But it was the Law that made me know what sin is. If the Law had not said, "Do not desire what belongs to someone else," I would not have known such a desire.

Remember your former leaders, who spoke God's message to you. Think back on how they lived and died, and imitate their faith.

I will also kill her followers, and then all the churches will know that I am the one who knows everyone's thoughts and wishes. I will repay each of you according to what you have done.

This is what the Sovereign LORD is saying: "You have done all this like a shameless prostitute.

and do not realize that this reliance on foreigners has robbed them of their strength. Their days are numbered, but they don't even know it.

Then he left there and moved from place to place, going toward Bethel. He reached the place between Bethel and Ai where he had camped before

Keep away from profane and foolish discussions, which only drive people farther away from God.

Such teaching is like an open sore that eats away the flesh. Two men who have taught such things are Hymenaeus and Philetus.

and evil persons and impostors will keep on going from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.

I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."

And if he will not listen to them, then tell the whole thing to the church. Finally, if he will not listen to the church, treat him as though he were a pagan or a tax collector.

"And so I tell all of you: what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Now we know that everything in the Law applies to those who live under the Law, in order to stop all human excuses and bring the whole world under God's judgment.

For no one is put right in God's sight by doing what the Law requires; what the Law does is to make us know that we have sinned.

(SEE 5:3)

It is not right for you to be proud! You know the saying, "A little bit of yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise."

It may be that some there will not obey the message we send you in this letter. If so, take note of them and have nothing to do with them, so that they will be ashamed.

But do not treat them as enemies; instead, warn them as believers.

Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have punished by handing them over to the power of Satan; this will teach them to stop their blasphemy.