Be Ready for Every Good Work

1 Remind them ^xto be submissive to rulers and authorities, ^yto be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 ^zto speak evil of no one, ^ato avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and ^bto show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For ^cwe ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when ^dthe goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, ^enot because of works done by us in righteousness, but ^faccording to his own mercy, by ^gthe washing of regeneration and ^hrenewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he ⁱpoured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that ^jbeing justified by his grace we might become ^kheirs ^laccording to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is ^mtrustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful ⁿto devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9 But ^oavoid foolish ^pcontroversies, ^qgenealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for ^rthey are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, ^safter warning him once and then twice, ^thave nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Final Instructions and Greetings

12 When I send Artemas or ^uTychicus to you, do your best to come to me ^vat Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and ^wApollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. 14 And let our people learn ^xto devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not ^ybe unfruitful.

15 All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

^zGrace be with you all.

Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.