From Jerusalem to Illyricum

¹⁴ Now ^(A)I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, ^(B)filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish ^[a]one another.

¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another ^(A)in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

² And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Qualities of a Sound Church

2 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: ² that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; ³ the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴ that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be discreet, chaste, ^(A)homemakers, good, ^(B)obedient to their own husbands, ^(C)that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

⁶ Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, ⁷ in all things showing yourself to be ^(D)a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, ^(E)incorruptibility,^{[a] 8} sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of ^[b]you.

Spiritual Immaturity

¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the ^[a]oracles of God; and you have come to need ^(A)milk and not solid food.