⁸ and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.^(A)

¹² Conduct yourselves honorably among the gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.^[a](A)

¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish.

¹⁶ yet do it with gentleness and respect. Maintain a good conscience so that, when you are maligned,^[a] those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.^(A)

³ Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness^(A)

¹⁴ Do all things without murmuring and arguing,^{(A) 15} so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world,^{(B) 16} holding forth the word of life so that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.^(C)

¹⁴ Take note of those who do not obey what we say in this letter; have nothing to do with them, so that they may be ashamed.^(A)

⁹ So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?^(A)

The Lord Vindicates Zion

¹⁴ So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, and manage their households, so as to give the adversary no occasion to revile us.^(A)