1 Thessalonians 2:8

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.

Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong!

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,

Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.

Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.

Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.

Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.

It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.

holding up the word of life, that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain.

For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood—

He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,

But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly,

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

let’s hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.

Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. The Italians greet you.

Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

She was with child. She cried out in pain, laboring to give birth.

The children of Israel brought a free will offering to Yahweh; every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all the work, which Yahweh had commanded to be made by Moses.

You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

I will give you shepherds according to my heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life;

For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown, yet a wisdom not of this world nor of the rulers of this world who are coming to nothing.

For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building.

God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.

that you also be in subjection to such, and to everyone who helps in the work and labors.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

In this confidence, I was determined to come first to you, that you might have a second benefit,

And I wrote this very thing to you, so that, when I came, I wouldn’t have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy would be shared by all of you.

Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows.

Examine your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know about your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.

yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him,

for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.

Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it,

Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I have no greater joy than this: to hear about my children walking in truth.

Let’s lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.

They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.

Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.

or he who exhorts, to his exhorting; he who gives, let him do it with generosity; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.

Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain,

I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.

For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,

Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—

For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.

For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you.

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf,

We proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

May the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you,

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.

A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death.