Do Everything Without Grumbling

¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,^{(A) 13} for it is God who works in you^(B) to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.^(C)

¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling^(D) or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless^(E) and pure, “children of God^(F) without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[a](G) Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,^(A) but I press on to take hold^(B) of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.^{(C) 13} Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind^(D) and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on^(E) toward the goal to win the prize^(F) for which God has called^(G) me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

¹¹ So Christ himself gave^(A) the apostles,^(B) the prophets,^(C) the evangelists,^(D) the pastors and teachers,^{(E) 12} to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^(F) may be built up^{(G) 13} until we all reach unity^(H) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God^(I) and become mature,^(J) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.^(K)

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants,^(L) tossed back and forth by the waves,^(M) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.^{(N) 15} Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(O) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(P) that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^(Q) and builds itself up^(R) in love,^(S) as each part does its work.

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

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

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

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

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