He also who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word; and the concerns of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; carefully consider your own selves. Do you not know your own selves, how Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are lost?
Therefore, as you abound in everything, in faith, and speech, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that you abound in this grace also.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them but filthy garbage, that I may win Christ,
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Furthermore then we plead with you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound more and more.
We are under obligation to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith is growing exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all toward each other abounds;
And besides this they learn to be idle, wandering around from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
According as his divine power has given to us all things that concern life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who has called us to glory and virtue:
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.