¹³ That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith,^(A)

² Tell the older men to be temperate, serious, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance.

²⁰ As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest also may stand in fear.^(A)

¹⁵ Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority.^[a] Let no one look down on you.

¹⁰ So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.^(A)

² proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage with the utmost patience in teaching.^(A)

A Good Minister of Jesus Christ

⁶ If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant^[a] of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed.^(A)

⁸ For although I grieved you with my letter, I do not regret it. Although I did regret it (for^[a] I see that that letter caused you grief, though only briefly), ⁹ now I rejoice, not because you were grieved but because your grief led to repentance, for you felt a godly grief, so that you were not harmed in any way by us. ¹⁰ For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death.^{(A) 11} For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves guiltless in the matter. ¹² So although I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the one who suffered the wrong but in order that your zeal for us might be made known to you before God.^(B)