Spiritual Immaturity

¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the ^[a]oracles of God; and you have come to need ^(A)milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is ^(B)a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are ^[b]of full age, that is, those who by reason of ^[c]use have their senses exercised ^(C)to discern both good and evil.

Thankfulness and Prayer

^3 (A)I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, ⁴ always in ^(B)every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, ^5 (C)for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun ^(D)a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Their Faith in Christ

^3 (A)We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, ^4 (B)since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of ^(C)your love for all the saints; ⁵ because of the hope ^(D)which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, ⁶ which has come to you, ^(E)as it has also in all the world, and ^(F)is bringing forth ^[a]fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew ^(G)the grace of God in truth;

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(A)Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the ^(B)Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace ^[a]from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Their Good Example

^2 (C)We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, ³ remembering without ceasing ^(D)your work of faith, ^(E)labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,

Sister Phoebe Commended

16 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in ^(A)Cenchrea, ^2 (B)that you may receive her in the Lord ^(C)in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

Greeting Roman Saints

³ Greet ^(D)Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴ who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. ⁵ Likewise greet ^(E)the church that is in their house.

Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is ^(F)the firstfruits of ^[a]Achaia to Christ. ⁶ Greet Mary, who labored much for us. ⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the ^(G)apostles, who also ^(H)were in Christ before me.

⁸ Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. ⁹ Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. ¹⁰ Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. ¹¹ Greet Herodion, my ^[b]countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

¹² Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. ¹³ Greet Rufus, ^(I)chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. ¹⁴ Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. ¹⁵ Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

^16 (J)Greet one another with a holy kiss. ^[c]The churches of Christ greet you.

Avoid Divisive Persons

¹⁷ Now I urge you, brethren, note those ^(K)who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and ^(L)avoid them. ¹⁸ For those who are such do not serve our Lord ^[d]Jesus Christ, but ^(M)their own belly, and ^(N)by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. ¹⁹ For ^(O)your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be ^(P)wise in what is good, and ^[e]simple concerning evil. ²⁰ And ^(Q)the God of peace ^(R)will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

^(S)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

¹⁶ The Lord grant mercy to the ^(A)household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; ¹⁷ but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. ¹⁸ The Lord ^(B)grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord ^(C)in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ^(D)ministered ^[a]to me at Ephesus.