For you yourselves know the manner in which you ought to imitate us. For we were not disorderly among you.
She has tasted and seen that her tasks are good; her lamp shall not be extinguished at night.
Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ.
Therefore, I beg you, be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ.
Be imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who are walking similarly, just as you have seen by our example.
All the things that you have learned and accepted and heard and seen in me, do these. And so shall the God of peace be with you.
You are witnesses, as is God, of how holy and just and blameless we were with you who have believed.
And we ask you, brothers: correct the disruptive, console the weak-minded, support the sick, be patient with everyone.
But we strongly caution you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to draw yourselves away from every brother who is walking in disorder and not according to the tradition that they received from us.
It was not as if we had no authority, but this was so that we might present ourselves as an example to you, in order to imitate us.
Let no one despise your youth, but be an example among the faithful in word, in behavior, in charity, in faith, in chastity.
In all things, present yourself as an example of good works: in doctrine, with integrity, with seriousness,
not so as to dominate by means of the clerical state, but so as to be formed into a flock from the heart.