Now the goal of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

holding fast to the faithful word as he was taught, that he may be able to exhort by sound doctrine, and to convince those who oppose it.

For we have become partakers of Christ, if indeed we hold fast the beginning of the assurance firm until the end,

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be prepared with a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

having a good conscience, so that in what they speak against you as evildoers, those reviling your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.

Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you like a thief, and by no means shall you know what hour I will come upon you.

"I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it; because you have a little strength and have kept My word, and you have not denied My name.

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those that dwell upon the earth.

For many walk, of whom often I was speaking to you, and now even weeping I tell you, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:

whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame--who are mindful of earthly things.

But know this, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, not loving what is good,

having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from these people turn away!

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master, the [One] having bought them, and bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

And by covetousness they will exploit you with fabricated words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction will not sleep.

But these, as unreasoning natural animals, having been born for capture and destruction, blaspheme at things which they are ignorant of, and shall be destroyed in their destruction,

having eyes full of adultery and unable to cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart having been trained in greediness, they are accursed children.

but he was rebuked for his own lawlessness: a dumb donkey speaking with the voice of a man restrained the madness of the prophet.

For when they speak haughty [words] of emptiness, they entice through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, those who are escaping from those who are living in error,

For if having escaped from the corruptions of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, yet by these, having become entangled they are defeated, the latter end has become worse for them than the first.

But it has happened to them [according to] the [saying] of the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "A sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."

But these speak blasphemously of those things which they do not know; but what they do know naturally, like unreasoning animals, they are destroyed by these things.

These are stains in your love feasts, while they feast [with you] without fear, caring for themselves, they are waterless clouds being carried along by winds; late autumn trees unfruitful, twice having died, having been uprooted,

But the Spirit explicitly says, that in latter times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

speaking lies in hypocrisy, having been seared with a hot iron [as to] their own conscience,

For there must also be sects among you, in order that those who are approved may become recognized among you.

I marvel that you are turning so quickly from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach a gospel to you other than what we preached to you, let him be accursed.

You have become estranged from Christ, you who are justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to myths.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and became partakers of the Holy Spirit,

and having fallen away, to renew [them] again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and hold Him up to contempt.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but [they went out] in order that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

But those desiring to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many senseless and harmful lusts which sink men in destruction and perdition.

Which of you by worrying is able to add one cubit to his stature?