⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ^(A)“Save yourselves from this ^(B)crooked generation.”

¹⁵ that you may be blameless and innocent, ^(A)children of God ^(B)without blemish ^(C)in the midst of ^(D)a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine ^(E)as lights in the world,

¹⁷ And Jesus answered, “O faithless and ^(A)twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? ^(B)How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.”

¹² Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from ^(A)the living God. ¹³ But ^(B)exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by ^(C)the deceitfulness of sin.

^16 (A)Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save ^(B)both yourself and ^(C)your hearers.

The New Life

¹⁷ Now this I say and ^(A)testify in the Lord, ^(B)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, ^(C)in the futility of their minds.

^8 (A)Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. ^(B)Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and ^(C)purify your hearts, ^(D)you double-minded. ^9 (E)Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ^10 (F)Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.