⁷ Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

Final Exhortations, Greetings, and Benediction

¹² But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you;^{(A) 13} esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with sighing, for that would be harmful to you.^(A)

¹⁷ Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.^(A)

¹² so that you may not become sluggish but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.^(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)

⁵ for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

²³ And after they had appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.^(A)

The Faithful or the Unfaithful Slave

⁴⁵ “Who, then, is the faithful and wise slave whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves^[a] their allowance of food at the proper time?^(A)

²⁴ Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings.