² Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

³ His divine power^(A) has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him^(B) who called us^(C) by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,^(D) so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,^(E) having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.^(F)

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

¹⁸ But grow in the grace^(A) and knowledge^(B) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(C) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.^(D)

⁸ Above all, love each other deeply,^(A) because love covers over a multitude of sins.^(B)

⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love^(A) you have for all God’s people^(B)— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope^(C) stored up for you in heaven^(D) and about which you have already heard in the true message^(E) of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit^(F) and growing throughout the whole world^(G)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We ought always to thank God for you,^(A) brothers and sisters,^[a] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.^(B)

¹³ And we also thank God continually^(A) because, when you received the word of God,^(B) which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators^(C) of God’s churches in Judea,^(D) which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people^(E) the same things those churches suffered from the Jews

Psalm 20^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

³ We remember before our God and Father^(A) your work produced by faith,^(B) your labor prompted by love,^(C) and your endurance inspired by hope^(D) in our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ For we know, brothers and sisters^[a] loved by God,^(E) that he has chosen you, ⁵ because our gospel^(F) came to you not simply with words but also with power,^(G) with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know^(H) how we lived among you for your sake. ⁶ You became imitators of us^(I) and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering^(J) with the joy^(K) given by the Holy Spirit.^{(L) 7} And so you became a model^(M) to all the believers in Macedonia^(N) and Achaia.^{(O) 8} The Lord’s message^(P) rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.^(Q) Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, ⁹ for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned^(R) to God from idols^(S) to serve the living and true God,^{(T) 10} and to wait for his Son from heaven,^(U) whom he raised from the dead^(V)—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.^(W)