Light Bearers

¹² Therefore, my beloved, ^(A)as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, ^(B)work out your own salvation with ^(C)fear and trembling; ¹³ for ^(D)it is God who works in you both to will and to do ^(E)for His good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things ^(F)without ^[a]complaining and ^(G)disputing,^{[b] 15} that you may become blameless and ^[c]harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as ^(H)lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding fast the word of life, so that ^(I)I may rejoice in the day of Christ that ^(J)I have not run in vain or labored in ^(K)vain.

¹⁷ Yes, and if ^(L)I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice ^(M)and service of your faith, ^(N)I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸ For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.

⁹ Much more then, having now been justified ^(A)by His blood, we shall be saved ^(B)from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For ^(C)if when we were enemies ^(D)we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved ^(E)by His life.

Living Sacrifices to God

12 I ^(A)beseech^[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies ^(B)a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your ^[b]reasonable service. ² And ^(C)do not be conformed to this world, but ^(D)be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may ^(E)prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Faith Without Works Is Dead^(A)

^14 (B)What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ^15 (C)If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and ^(D)one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” ^(E)Show me your faith without ^[a]your works, ^(F)and I will show you my faith by ^[b]my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is ^[c]dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works ^(G)when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see ^(H)that faith was working together with his works, and by ^(I)works faith was made ^[d]perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ^(J)“Abraham believed God, and it was ^[e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called ^(K)the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise, ^(L)was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

^16 (A)For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten ^(B)Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Do Not Neglect Salvation

2 Therefore we must give ^[a]the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. ² For if the word ^(A)spoken through angels proved steadfast, and ^(B)every transgression and disobedience received a just ^[b]reward, ^3 (C)how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, ^(D)which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was ^(E)confirmed to us by those who heard Him, ^4 (F)God also bearing witness ^(G)both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and ^(H)gifts^[c] of the Holy Spirit, ^(I)according to His own will?

² Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel ^(A)complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. ³ And the children of Israel said to them, ^(B)“Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, ^(C)when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain ^(D)bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather ^[a]a certain quota every day, that I may ^(E)test them, whether they will ^(F)walk in My law or not. ⁵ And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and ^(G)it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”

⁶ Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, ^(H)“At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. ⁷ And in the morning you shall see ^(I)the glory of the Lord; for He ^(J)hears your complaints against the Lord. But ^(K)what are we, that you complain against us?” ⁸ Also Moses said, “This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but ^(L)against the Lord.”

Sectarianism Is Sin

¹⁰ Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(A)that you all ^[a]speak the same thing, and that there be no ^[b]divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.