Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁴ I am writing to you about these matters even though I hope to come to you soon.

¹⁵ Then if I do not come right away, you will know what people should do in God's family. This family is the church of the living God. The church people hold what is true and keeps it strong.

¹⁶ God's plan is very great as we all know. Here it is: we saw God as a man; God's Spirit proved he was right; angels saw him; the nations were told about him; people of the world believed in him; God took him up into heaven.

4 The Spirit of God says very plainly that in later times some people will stop believing. They will listen to other spirits that fool them, and to the teaching of bad spirits.

² Men will tell lies and make people believe they are something when they are not. These men will have made their hearts so hard that they will not know they are doing wrong.

³ They will teach people that they should not marry. They will teach them not to eat some kinds of food. God made the food and he wanted people to take it and thank him for it. Those who believe and know what is true do this.

⁴ Everything that God has made for food is good. It is all right to eat it if people thank God for it.

⁵ God's word and asking him to bless the food makes it good for people to eat.