^33 (A)Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

Sarah Turns against Hagar

⁹ Now Sarah saw ^(A)the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, ^(B)mocking Isaac. ¹⁰ Therefore she said to Abraham, “^(C)Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be an heir with my son ^[a]Isaac!” ^11 (D)The matter ^[b]distressed Abraham greatly because of his son Ishmael. ¹² But God said to Abraham, “^[c]Do not be distressed because of the boy and your slave woman; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for ^(E)through Isaac ^[d]your descendants shall be named.

⁴ knowing, ^(A)brothers and sisters, beloved by God, ^(B)His choice of you; ⁵ for our ^(C)gospel did not come to you in word only, but also ^(D)in power and in the Holy Spirit and with ^(E)full conviction; just as you know ^(F)what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sakes. ⁶ You also became ^(G)imitators of us and of the Lord, ^(H)having received ^(I)the word during great affliction with the ^(J)joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷ so that you became an example to all the believers in ^(K)Macedonia and ^(L)Achaia.

⁷ But we ^[a]proved to be ^[b](A)gentle ^[c]among you. ^(B)As a nursing mother ^[d]tenderly cares for her own children, ⁸ in the same way we had a fond affection for you and were delighted to ^(C)share with you not only the ^(D)gospel of God, but also our own ^[e]lives, because you had become ^[f]very dear to us.

¹⁰ You are witnesses, and so is ^(A)God, of ^(B)how devoutly and rightly and blamelessly we ^[a]behaved toward you ^[b]believers; ¹¹ just as you know how we were ^(C)exhorting and encouraging and ^(D)imploring each one of you as ^(E)a father would his own children, ¹² so that you would ^(F)walk in a manner worthy of the God who ^(G)calls you into His own kingdom and ^(H)glory.

¹⁷ Brothers and sisters, ^(A)join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the ^(B)pattern you have in us.

³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, ^(A)not malicious gossips nor ^(B)enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴ so that they may ^[a]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible, pure, ^(C)workers at home, kind, being ^(D)subject to their own husbands, ^(E)so that the word of God will not be dishonored.