The people of Israel were divided into two groups. Half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath and wanted to make him king. The other half of the people followed Omri.
Make a hole in the center for the head. And sew a piece of cloth around the edge of this hole. This cloth will {be like a collar that} keeps the hole from tearing.
An enemy might be able to defeat one person, but that enemy can’t defeat two people. \{And three people are even stronger. They are like\} a rope that has three parts wrapped together—it is very hard to break.
I beg you brothers and sisters in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I beg that all of you agree with each other, so that there will be no divisions among you. I beg that you be completely joined together by having the same kind of thinking and the same purpose.
Now, brothers and sisters, I say good-bye. Try to be perfect. Do the things I have asked you to do. Agree in your minds with each other, and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
\{This work must continue\} until we are all joined together in the same faith and in the same knowledge about the Son of God. We must become like a mature (perfect) person—we must grow until we become like Christ and have all his perfection.
Try to live in peace with all people. And try to live lives free from sin. If a person’s life is not holy, {\cf2\super [160]} then he will never see the Lord.