⁹ And it is my prayer that ^(A)your love may abound more and more, ^(B)with knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve what is excellent, ^(C)and so be pure and blameless ^(D)for the day of Christ,

⁵ May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you ^(A)to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, ⁶ that together you may with one voice glorify ^(B)the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Living Sacrifice

12 ^(A)I appeal to you therefore, brothers,^[a] by the mercies of God, ^(B)to present your bodies ^(C)as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.^{[b] 2 (D)}Do not be conformed to this world,^[c] but be transformed by ^(E)the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may ^(F)discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.^[d]

²¹ When they had preached the gospel to that city and had ^(A)made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, ^22 (B)strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them ^(C)to continue in ^(D)the faith, and saying that ^(E)through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. ²³ And when they had ^(F)appointed ^(G)elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting ^(H)they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria

²⁴ Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. ²⁵ And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, ²⁶ and from there they sailed to Antioch, ^(I)where they had been ^(J)commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. ²⁷ And when they arrived and gathered the church together, ^(K)they declared all that God had done with them, and ^(L)how he had ^(M)opened ^(N)a door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they remained no little time with the disciples.

⁹ Have I not commanded you? ^(A)Be strong and courageous. ^(B)Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”