¹² Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.^(A)

⁷ in all things, offering yourself as a model of good works and in your teaching offering integrity, gravity,

²² Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.^(A)

¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

³ Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock.^(A)

⁵ For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with excellence, and excellence with knowledge,^{(A) 6} and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.^(B)

11 ¹ Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.^(A)

⁶ And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy from the Holy Spirit,^(A)

¹⁵ Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority.^[a] Let no one look down on you.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹⁰ “Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.^[a](A)