²¹ If, however, you warn the righteous not to sin and they do not sin, they shall surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved your life.^(A)

²⁰ you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s^[a] soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.^(A)

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

¹⁶ Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.^(A)

Fatherly Admonition

¹⁴ I am not writing this to make you ashamed but to admonish you as my beloved children.

⁶ No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. ⁷ Little children,^[a] let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. ⁸ Everyone who commits sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the works of the devil.^{(A) 9} Those who have been born of God do not sin because God’s seed abides in them;^[b] they cannot sin because they have been born of God.^(B)

There Is No Other Gospel

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.^{(A) 8} But even if we or an angel^[a] from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed!^{(B) 9} As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!

¹⁰ Am I now seeking human approval or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.^(C)

³¹ Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears.^(A)

¹⁹ But if you warn the wicked and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their wicked way, they shall die for their iniquity, but you will have saved your life.^{(A) 20} Again, if the righteous turn from their righteousness and commit iniquity and I lay a stumbling block before them, they shall die; because you have not warned them, they shall die for their sin, and their righteous deeds that they have done shall not be remembered, but their blood I will require at your hand.^(B)