Thanksgiving and Prayer

⁴ I always thank my God^(A) as I remember you in my prayers,^{(B) 5} because I hear about your love for all his holy people^(C) and your faith in the Lord Jesus.^{(D) 6} I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.

⁶ You became imitators of us^(A) and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering^(B) with the joy^(C) given by the Holy Spirit.^{(D) 7} And so you became a model^(E) to all the believers in Macedonia^(F) and Achaia.^{(G) 8} The Lord’s message^(H) rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.^(I) Therefore we do not need to say anything about it,

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

¹¹ Dear friends,^(A) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,^(B) to abstain from sinful desires,^(C) which wage war against your soul.^(D)

¹² Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds^(A) and glorify God^(B) on the day he visits us.