The Covenant Extended to All Who Obey

An Urgent Appeal

¹¹ Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is already the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers;^{(A) 12} the night is far gone; the day is near. Let us then throw off^[a] the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;^{(B) 13} let us walk decently as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in illicit sex and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.^{(C) 14} Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.^(D)

¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith, as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”^[a](A)

² “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”^[a](A)

⁶ But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say?

(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim),^{(A) 9} because^[a] if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe^[b] in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.^{(B) 10} For one believes^[c] with the heart, leading to righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, leading to salvation.

³ He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^{(C) 8} Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.^{(D) 9} Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”^(E)