Marks of the True Christian

^9 (A)Let love be genuine. ^(B)Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ^10 (C)Love one another with brotherly affection. ^(D)Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, ^(E)be fervent in spirit,^{[a] (F)}serve the Lord. ^12 (G)Rejoice in hope, ^(H)be patient in tribulation, ^(I)be constant in prayer. ^13 (J)Contribute to the needs of the saints and ^(K)seek to show hospitality.

^14 (L)Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ^15 (M)Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ^16 (N)Live in harmony with one another. ^(O)Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.^{[b] (P)}Never be wise in your own sight. ^17 (Q)Repay no one evil for evil, but ^(R)give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, ^(S)live peaceably with all. ¹⁹ Beloved, ^(T)never avenge yourselves, but leave it^[c] to the wrath of God, for it is written, ^(U)“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” ²⁰ To the contrary, ^(V)“if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Lights in the World

¹² Therefore, my beloved, ^(A)as you have always ^(B)obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for ^(C)it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for ^(D)his good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things ^(E)without grumbling or ^(F)disputing, ¹⁵ that you may be blameless and innocent, ^(G)children of God ^(H)without blemish ^(I)in the midst of ^(J)a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine ^(K)as lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding fast to ^(L)the word of life, so that in ^(M)the day of Christ ^(N)I may be proud that ^(O)I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

^5 (A)circumcised on the eighth day, ^(B)of the people of Israel, ^(C)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(D)a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ^(E)a Pharisee; ^6 (F)as to zeal, ^(G)a persecutor of the church; ^(H)as to righteousness under the law,^[a] blameless. ⁷ But ^(I)whatever gain I had, ^(J)I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^(K)the surpassing worth of ^(L)knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^(M)have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having ^(N)a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^(O)that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ^10 (P)that I may know him and ^(Q)the power of his resurrection, and ^(R)may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may ^(S)attain the resurrection from the dead.

Straining Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already ^(T)obtained this or ^(U)am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: ^(V)forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for ^(W)the prize of the upward ^(X)call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are ^(Y)mature think this way, and if in anything ^(Z)you think otherwise, ^(AA)God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶ Only ^(AB)let us hold true to what we have attained.

4 Therefore, my brothers,^[a] whom I love and ^(A)long for, ^(B)my joy and ^(C)crown, ^(D)stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers, admonish ^(A)the idle,^{[a] (B)}encourage the fainthearted, ^(C)help the weak, ^(D)be patient with them all. ¹⁵ See that ^(E)no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always ^(F)seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

¹¹ For we hear that some among you ^(A)walk in idleness, not busy at work, but ^(B)busybodies. ¹² Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.^[a]

¹³ As for you, brothers, ^(C)do not grow weary in doing good.

¹² Therefore ^(A)lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, ¹³ and ^(B)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint ^(C)but rather be healed. ^14 (D)Strive for peace with everyone, and for the ^(E)holiness ^(F)without which no one will see the Lord.