Our Citizenship in Heaven

¹⁷ Brethren, ^(A)join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as ^(B)you have us for a pattern. ¹⁸ For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are ^(C)the enemies of the cross of Christ: ^19 (D)whose end is destruction, ^(E)whose god is their belly, and ^(F)whose glory is in their shame—^(G)who set their mind on earthly things. ²⁰ For ^(H)our citizenship is in heaven, ^(I)from which we also ^(J)eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ^21 (K)who will transform our lowly body that it may be ^(L)conformed to His glorious body, ^(M)according to the working by which He is able even to ^(N)subdue all things to Himself.

Paul’s Paternal Care

¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but ^(A)as my beloved children I warn you. ¹⁵ For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for ^(B)in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. ¹⁶ Therefore I urge you, ^(C)imitate me. ¹⁷ For this reason I have sent ^(D)Timothy to you, ^(E)who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will ^(F)remind you of my ways in Christ, as I ^(G)teach everywhere ^(H)in every church.

^18 (I)Now some are ^[a]puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. ^19 (J)But I will come to you shortly, ^(K)if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. ²⁰ For ^(L)the kingdom of God is not in word but in ^(M)power.

¹⁴ that we should no longer be ^(A)children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of ^(B)deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the ^(C)head—Christ— ^16 (D)from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The New Man

¹⁷ This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should ^(E)no longer walk as ^[a]the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, ¹⁸ having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the ^(F)blindness of their heart; ^19 (G)who, being past feeling, ^(H)have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

²⁰ But you have not so learned Christ,

Paul’s Paternal Care

¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but ^(A)as my beloved children I warn you. ¹⁵ For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for ^(B)in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. ¹⁶ Therefore I urge you, ^(C)imitate me. ¹⁷ For this reason I have sent ^(D)Timothy to you, ^(E)who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will ^(F)remind you of my ways in Christ, as I ^(G)teach everywhere ^(H)in every church.

^18 (I)Now some are ^[a]puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. ^19 (J)But I will come to you shortly, ^(K)if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. ²⁰ For ^(L)the kingdom of God is not in word but in ^(M)power.

Worship and the Lord’s Supper

11 Imitate^(A) me, just as I also imitate Christ.

¹¹ Beloved, ^(A)do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. ^(B)He who does good is of God, ^[a]but he who does evil has not seen ^(C)God.

Do Not Love the World

^15 (A)Do not love the world or the things in the world. ^(B)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

¹³ For such ^(A)are false apostles, ^(B)deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into ^(C)an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, ^(D)whose end will be according to their works.

⁴ For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord ^[a]God and our Lord Jesus Christ.