Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you [is] not tedious, but for you [it is] safe.

[Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but [rather] give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance [is] Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Love suffers long [and] is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.

"He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.

[Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and [yet] true;

Therefore, putting away lying, ["Let] each one [of you] speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.

(for the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

"Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of [good] reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.

that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and [that] you may lack nothing.

for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

one who rules his own house well, having [his] children in submission with all reverence

Likewise deacons [must be] reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,

Likewise [their] wives [must be] reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;

in all things showing yourself [to be] a pattern of good works; in doctrine [showing] integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,

And let our [people] also learn to maintain good works, to [meet] urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.

having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by [your] good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

"For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."

"You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: 'He who rules over men [must be] just, Ruling in the fear of God.

How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah

Dishonest scales [are] an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight [is] His delight.

Honest weights and scales [are] the LORD's; All the weights in the bag [are] His work.

The righteous [man] walks in his integrity; His children [are] blessed after him.

The way of the just [is] uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just.

for Herod feared John, knowing that he [was] a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

Now behold, [there was] a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.

And they said, "Cornelius [the] centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you."

but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

older women as mothers, younger as sisters, with all purity.

who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself [His] own special people, zealous for good works.

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in [both of] which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

"Saul and Jonathan [were] beloved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.

His mouth [is] most sweet, Yes, he [is] altogether lovely. This [is] my beloved, And this [is] my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem! THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor,] and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these [is] love.

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."

"Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of [good] reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;

And they said, "Cornelius [the] centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you."

"Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt [there,]

Walk in wisdom toward those [who are] outside, redeeming the time.

Abstain from every form of evil.

Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

For by it the elders obtained a [good] testimony.

"And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you [are] a virtuous woman.

An excellent wife [is] the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame [is] like rottenness in his bones.

Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth [is] far above rubies.

"Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all."

as His divine power has given to us all things that [pertain] to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption [that is] in the world through lust.

Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

but [he is] a Jew who [is one] inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise [is] not from men but from God.

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God.

And we have sent with him the brother whose praise [is] in the gospel throughout all the churches,

And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Test all things; hold fast what is good.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.