FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY

4 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judgebc the living and the dead,bd and because of his appearing and his kingdom:be 2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. 3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine,bf but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.a 5 But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,b fulfill your ministry.

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering,c and the time for my departure is close. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 There is reserved for me the crownd of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,e will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.A,f

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

9 Make every effort to come to me soon,g 10 because Demash has deserted me,i since he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica.j Crescens has gone to Galatia,k Titusl to Dalmatia. 11 Only Lukem is with me. Bring Markn with you, for he is useful to me in the ministry. 12 I have sent Tychicuso to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak I left in Troasp with Carpus, as well as the scrolls, especially the parchments. 14 Alexanderq the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his works. 15 Watch outr for him yourself because he strongly opposed our words.

16 At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me.s May it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that I might fully preach the word and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.t To him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

BENEDICTION

19 Greet Prisca and Aquila,u and the household of Onesiphorus.v 20 Erastusw has remained at Corinth; I left Trophimusx sick at Miletus.y 21 Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.

22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.

TITUS

GREETING

1 Paul,a a servant of Godb and an apostle of Jesus Christ, forA the faith of God’s electc and their knowledge of the truthd that leadsB to godliness,e 2 in the hope of eternal lifef that God, who cannot lie,g promised before time began.h 3 In his own time he has revealedi his wordj in the preaching with which I was entrustedk by the commandl of God our Savior:m

4 To Titus,n my true sono in our common faith.

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.p

TITUS’S MINISTRY IN CRETE

5 The reason I left you in Creteq was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint eldersr in every town. 6 An elders must be blameless,t the husband of one wife, with faithfulC children who are not accused of wildness or rebellion. 7 As an overseeru of God’s household, he must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding to the faithful message as taught,v so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teachingw and to refute those who contradict it.

10 For there are many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from the circumcision party. 11 It is necessary to silence them; they are ruining entire households by teaching what they shouldn’t in order to get money dishonestly. 12 One of their very own prophets said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true.x For this reason, rebuke them sharply,y so that they may be sound in the faith 14 and may not pay attention to Jewish mythsz and the commands of people who reject the truth.aa

15 To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscienceab are defiled. 16 They claim to know God,ac but they deny him by their works.ad They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.ae

SOUND TEACHING AND CHRISTIAN LIVING

2 But you are to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching.af 2 Older menag are to be self-controlled, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love,ah and endurance. 3 In the same way, older womenai are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking. They are to teach what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submissionaj to their husbands, so that God’s wordak will not be slandered.

6 In the same way, encourage the young menal to be self-controlled 7 in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignityD in your teaching. 8 Your message is to be sound beyond reproach,am so that any opponent will be ashamed, because he doesn’t have anything bad to say about us.

9 Slaves are to submit to their mastersan in everything, and to be well-pleasing,ao not talking back 10 or stealing, but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Saviorap in everything.

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvationE for all people,aq 12 instructing us to deny godlessnessar and worldly lustsas and to live in a sensible, righteous,at and godlyau way in the present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope,av the appearing of the gloryaw of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for usax to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession,ay eager to do good works.

15 Proclaim these things; encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregardA you.

CHRISTIAN LIVING AMONG OUTSIDERS

3 Remind them to submita to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentlenessb to all people. 3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passionsc and pleasures,d living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared,e 5 he saved usf—not by works of righteousness that we had done,g but according to his mercyh—through the washing of regenerationi and renewal by the Holy Spirit.j 6 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantlyk through Jesus Christ our Savior 7 so that, having been justified by his grace,l we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.m 8 This saying is trustworthy.n I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone. 9 But avoid foolish debates,o genealogies,p quarrels,q and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 Reject a divisiver person after a first and second warning.s 11 For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned.

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS AND CLOSING

12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you,t make every effort to come to meu in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollosv on their journey, so that they will lackw nothing.

14 Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works for pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.x 15 All those who are with me send you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you.y

PHILEMON

GREETING

Paul,a a prisonerb of Christ Jesus,c and Timothyd our brother:

To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, 2 to Apphia our sister,A to Archippuse our fellow soldier,f and to the church that meets in your home.g

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

PHILEMON’S LOVE AND FAITH

4 I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your loveh for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that your participation in the faith may become effectivei through knowing every good thingj that is in usB for the glory of Christ. 7 For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshedk through you, brother.

AN APPEAL FOR ONESIMUS

8 For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, 9 I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly manC and now also as a prisonerl of Christ Jesus, 10 appeal to you for my son,m Onesimus.D,n I became his fathero while I was in chains. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back to you—I am sending my very own heart.E,F 13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. 15 For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but how much more to you, both in the fleshp and in the Lord.q

17 So if you consider me a partner, welcomer him as you would me. 18 And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.s 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand:t I will repay it—not to mention to you that you owe me even your very self. 20 Yes, brother, may I benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 Meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, since I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

FINAL GREETINGS

23 Epaphras,u my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings, and so do 24 Mark,v Aristarchus,w Demas, and Luke,x my coworkers.

25 The grace of the LordG,y Jesus Christ be with your spirit.z

HEBREWS

THE NATURE OF THE SON

1 Long ago God spokea to our ancestors by the prophetsb at different times and in different ways.c 2 In these last days,d he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all thingse and made the universeA,f through him. 3 The Son is the radianceB of God’s glory and the exact expressionC of his nature,g sustaining all things by his powerful word.h After making purification for sins,D he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.E,i 4 So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.j

THE SON SUPERIOR TO ANGELS

5 For to which of the angels did he ever say,

You are my Son;

today I have become your Father,F,G

or again,

I will be his Father,

and he will be my Son?H,k

6 Again, when heI brings his firstborn into the world,l he says,

And let all God’s angels worship him.J,m

7 And about the angels he says:

He makes his angels winds,K

and his servantsL a fiery flame,M,n

8 but toN the Son:

Your throne, God,

is forever and ever,

and the scepter of your kingdom

is a scepter of justice.o

9 You have loved righteousness

and hated lawlessness;

this is why God, your God,

has anointed you

with the oil of joyp

beyond your companions.O,P

10 And:

In the beginning, Lord,

you established the earth,

and the heavens are the works of your hands;q

11 they will perish, but you remain.

They will all wear out like clothing;r

12 you will roll them up like a cloak,Q

and they will be changed like clothing.

But you are the same,

and your years will never end.R,s

13 Now to which of the angels has he ever said:

Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies your footstool?S,t

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?u

WARNING AGAINST NEGLECT

2 For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away.v 2 For if the message spoken through angels was legally bindingT,w and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment,x 3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?y This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him.z 4 At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to his will.aa

JESUS AND HUMANITY

5 For he has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about. 6 But someone somewhere has testified:

What is man that you remember him,

or the son of man that you care for him?

7 You made him lower than the angels

for a short time;

you crowned him with glory and honorU

8 and subjected everything under his feet.V

For in subjecting everything to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him.a 9 But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste deathb for everyone—crowned with glory and honorc because he suffered death.d

10 For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—for whom and through whom all things exist—should make the pioneerA of their salvation perfect through sufferings.e 11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father.B That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,f 12 saying:

I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters;

I will sing hymns to you in the congregation.C,g

13 Again, I will trust in him.D And again, Here I am with the children God gave me.E,h

14 Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devili—15 and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.j 16 For it is clear that he does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring.k 17 Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in mattersF pertaining to God, to make atonementG,l for the sins of the people.m 18 For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.