¹⁰ After you have suffered ^(A)for a little while, the ^(B)God of all grace, who ^(C)called you to His ^(D)eternal glory in Christ, will Himself ^(E)perfect, ^(F)confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

^11 (A)Finally, brothers and sisters, ^[a]rejoice, ^(B)mend your ways, be comforted, ^(C)be like-minded, ^(D)live in peace; and ^(E)the God of love and peace will be with you.

Paul Reveals His Heart

7 Therefore, having these promises, ^(A)beloved, ^(B)let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

⁹ For we rejoice when we ourselves are ^(A)weak, but you are strong; this we also pray for, ^[a]that you ^(B)become mature.

⁵ but whoever ^(A)follows His word, in him the ^(B)love of God has truly been perfected. ^(C)By this we know that we are in Him:

^12 (A)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His ^(B)love is perfected in us.

²⁸ We proclaim Him, ^(A)admonishing every person and teaching every person ^[a]with all ^(B)wisdom, so that we may ^(C)present every person ^[b](D)complete in Christ.

^12 (A)Epaphras, ^(B)who is one of your own, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always ^(C)striving earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may ^[a]stand ^[b](D)mature and ^[c]fully assured in all the will of God.

The Danger of Falling Away

6 Therefore ^(A)leaving ^(B)the ^[a]elementary teaching about the ^[b]Christ, let us press on to ^[c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from ^(D)dead works and of faith toward God,