NowI praiseyou becauseyou rememberme in everythingand hold firmlyto the traditions,justas I deliveredthem to you.
They were bothrighteousin the sightof God,walkingblamelesslyin allthe commandmentsand requirementsof the Lord.
But in givingthisinstruction,I do not praiseyou, becauseyou come togethernot for the betterbut for the worse.
What!Do you not havehousesin which to eatand drink?Ordo you despisethe churchof Godand shamethosewho havenothing?Whatshall I sayto you? Shall I praiseyou? In thisI will not praiseyou.
by whichalsoyou are saved,ifyou hold fastthe wordwhichI preachedto you, unlessyou believedin vain.
For thisreasonI have sentto you Timothy,whois my belovedand faithfulchildin the Lord,and he will remindyou of my wayswhich are in Christ,justas I teacheverywherein everychurch.
Only,as the Lordhas assignedto eachone,as Godhas calledeach,in thismannerlet him walk.And soI directin allthe churches.
You alsobecameimitatorsof us and of the Lord,having receivedthe wordin muchtribulationwith the joyof the HolySpirit,
But nowthat Timothyhas cometo us from you, and has brought us good newsof your faithand love,and that you alwaysthinkkindlyof us, longingto seeus justas we alsolong to see you,
So then,brethren,stand firmand holdto the traditionswhichyou were taught,whetherby word[of mouth] orby letterfrom us.
Nowwe commandyou, brethren,in the nameof our LordJesusChrist,that you keep awayfrom everybrotherwho leadsan unrulylifeand not accordingto the traditionwhichyou receivedfrom us.
