⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;^{(A) 6} and to knowledge, self-control;^(B) and to self-control, perseverance;^(C) and to perseverance, godliness;^{(D) 7} and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.^{(E) 8} For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive^(F) in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(G) 9} But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,^(H) forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.^(I)

¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers and sisters,^[a] make every effort to confirm your calling^(J) and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,^{(K) 11} and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom^(L) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(M)

Prophecy of Scripture

¹² So I will always remind you of these things,^(N) even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth^(O) you now have. ¹³ I think it is right to refresh your memory^(P) as long as I live in the tent of this body,^{(Q) 14} because I know that I will soon put it aside,^(R) as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.^(S)

¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love.^(A) Honor one another above yourselves.^{(B) 11} Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,^(C) serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope,^(D) patient in affliction,^(E) faithful in prayer.^{(F) 13} Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.^(G) Practice hospitality.^(H)

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you;^(I) bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.^{(J) 16} Live in harmony with one another.^(K) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[a] Do not be conceited.^(L)

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil.^(M) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.^{(N) 18} If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.^{(O) 19} Do not take revenge,^(P) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[b](Q) says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Love Fulfills the Law

⁸ Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.^{(A) 9} The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”^[a](B) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up^(C) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^{[b](D) 10} Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.^(E)

The Day Is Near

¹¹ And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come^(F) for you to wake up from your slumber,^(G) because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.^(H) So let us put aside the deeds of darkness^(I) and put on the armor^(J) of light. ¹³ Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,^(K) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.^{(L) 14} Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,^(M) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.^[c](N)

Warning and Encouragement

¹⁴ Make every effort to live in peace with everyone^(A) and to be holy;^(B) without holiness no one will see the Lord.^{(C) 15} See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God^(D) and that no bitter root^(E) grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

¹³ The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”^(A)

¹⁴ The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?^(B) Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”

²⁷ “But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?^{(A) 28} Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’^{[a] 29} When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.^(B)