Shining as Lights in the World

¹² Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling,^(A)

⁵ For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with excellence, and excellence with knowledge,^{(A) 6} and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(B) 9} For anyone who lacks these things is blind, suffering from eye disease, forgetful of the cleansing of past sins.^{(C) 10} Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.^(A)

²³ Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.^(A)

¹¹ Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.

Live as Servants of God

¹¹ Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.^[a](A)

²⁷ Do not work for the food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”^{(A) 28} Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” ²⁹ Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”^(B)

¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have laid hold^[a] of it, but one thing I have laid hold of: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,^{(A) 14} I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly^[b] call of God in Christ Jesus.^(B)

²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.^(A)

²⁷ Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel