Trained by Saving Grace

¹¹ For ^(A)the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ^13 (B)looking for the blessed ^(C)hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ^14 (D)who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed ^(E)and purify for Himself ^(F)His own special people, zealous for good works.

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

6 What shall we say then? ^(A)Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who ^(B)died to sin live any longer in it?

^12 (A)Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ¹³ And do not present your ^(B)members as ^[a]instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but ^(C)present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For ^(D)sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God

¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin ^(E)because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!

Christ’s Example to Be Followed

4 Therefore, since Christ suffered ^[a]for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, ^(A)but for the will of God. ³ For we have spent enough of our past ^[b]lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

^2 (A)Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³ as His ^(B)divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him ^(C)who called us by glory and virtue, ^4 (D)by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be ^(E)partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the ^[a]corruption that is in the world through lust.

Fruitful Growth in the Faith

⁵ But also for this very reason, ^(F)giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue ^(G)knowledge, ⁶ to knowledge self-control, to self-control ^[b]perseverance, to perseverance godliness, ⁷ to godliness brotherly kindness, and ^(H)to brotherly kindness love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither ^[c]barren ^(I)nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For he who lacks these things is ^(J)shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

¹⁰ Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent ^(K)to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; ¹¹ for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.