²⁵ But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker^(A) and fellow soldier,^(B) who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.^{(C) 26} For he longs for all of you^(D) and is distressed because you heard he was ill. ²⁷ Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ Therefore I am all the more eager to send him,^(E) so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. ²⁹ So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,^{(F) 30} because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.^(G)

²⁰ The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.^(A) Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²² “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.^(B) Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.^{(C) 30} And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’^(D)

1 Simon Peter, a servant^(A) and apostle of Jesus Christ,^(B)

To those who through the righteousness^(C) of our God and Savior Jesus Christ^(D) have received a faith as precious as ours:

² Grace and peace be yours in abundance^(E) through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.^(F)

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

³ His divine power^(G) has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him^(H) who called us^(I) by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,^(J) so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,^(K) having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.^(L)

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;^{(M) 6} and to knowledge, self-control;^(N) and to self-control, perseverance;^(O) and to perseverance, godliness;^{(P) 7} and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.^{(Q) 8} For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive^(R) in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(S) 9} But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,^(T) forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.^(U)

¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers and sisters,^[a] make every effort to confirm your calling^(V) and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,^{(W) 11} and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom^(X) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(Y)

²² But the fruit^(A) of the Spirit is love,^(B) joy, peace,^(C) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.^(D) Against such things there is no law.^(E)

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.^(A) But the greatest of these is love.^(B)

²¹ To my shame I admit that we were too weak^(A) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.^{(B) 22} Are they Hebrews? So am I.^(C) Are they Israelites? So am I.^(D) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.^{(E) 23} Are they servants of Christ?^(F) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^(G) been in prison more frequently,^(H) been flogged more severely,^(I) and been exposed to death again and again.^{(J) 24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^(K) minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods,^(L) once I was pelted with stones,^(M) three times I was shipwrecked,^(N) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,^(O) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^(P) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^{(Q) 27} I have labored and toiled^(R) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^(S) I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^{(T) 29} Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^(U) Who is led into sin,^(V) and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast^(W) of the things that show my weakness.^{(X) 31} The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,^(Y) knows^(Z) that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.^{(AA) 33} But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.^(AB)

4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,^(A) and in view of his appearing^(B) and his kingdom, I give you this charge:^{(C) 2} Preach^(D) the word;^(E) be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke^(F) and encourage^(G)—with great patience and careful instruction. ³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.^(H) Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.^{(I) 4} They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.^{(J) 5} But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship,^(K) do the work of an evangelist,^(L) discharge all the duties of your ministry.

⁶ For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,^(M) and the time for my departure is near.^{(N) 7} I have fought the good fight,^(O) I have finished the race,^(P) I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me^(Q) the crown of righteousness,^(R) which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day^(S)—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.^(T)