Keepyour behaviorexcellentamongthe Gentiles,sothat in the thing in whichthey slanderyou as evildoers,they may becauseof your gooddeeds,as they observe[them], glorifyGodin the dayof visitation.
The wickedhave drawnthe swordand benttheir bowTo castdownthe afflictedand the needy,To slaythose whoare uprightin conduct.
"He who offersa sacrificeof thanksgivinghonorsMe; And to him who orders[his] way[aright] I shall showthe salvationof God."
Now whatwill you doin the dayof punishment,And in the devastationwhich will comefrom afar?To whomwill you fleefor help?And wherewill you leaveyour wealth?
Thenthe commissionersand satrapsbegan tryingto finda groundof accusationagainst Danielin regardto governmentaffairs;but they couldfindnogroundof accusationor [evidence of] corruption,inasmuchas he was faithful,and nonegligenceor corruptionwas [to be] foundin him.
"It is enoughfor the disciplethat he becomelikehis teacher,and the slavelikehis master.Ifthey have calledthe head of the houseBeelzebul,how muchmore[will they malign] the members of his household!
"Blessedare you when[people] insultyou and persecuteyou, and falselysayall kindsof evilagainstyou becauseof Me.
"Let your lightshinebeforemenin such a waythat they may seeyour goodworks,and glorifyyour Fatherwho is in heaven.
But when the crowdssaw[this], they were awestruck,and glorifiedGod,who had givensuchauthorityto men.
"Blessed[be] the LordGodof Israel,For He has visitedus and accomplishedredemptionfor His people,
and they will level you to the groundand your childrenwithinyou, and they will not leavein you one stoneupon another,becauseyou did not recognizethe timeof your visitation."
"Blessedare you whenmenhateyou, and ostracizeyou, and insultyou, and scornyour nameas evil,for the sakeof the Sonof Man.
Thereforewhenhe had goneout, Jesussaid,"Nowis the Sonof Manglorified,and Godis glorifiedin Him;
"Simeonhas relatedhowGodfirstconcerned Himself abouttakingfrom amongthe Gentilesa peoplefor His name.
"Norcanthey proveto you [the charges] of whichthey nowaccuseme.
After Paul arrived,the Jewswho had come downfrom Jerusalemstood aroundhim, bringingmanyand seriouschargesagainsthim whichthey couldnot prove,
"But we desireto hearfrom you whatyour viewsare; for concerningthissect,it is knownto us that it is spoken againsteverywhere."
Neverpay backevilfor evilto anyone.Respectwhat is rightin the sightof allmen.
Let us behaveproperlyas in the day,not in carousingand drunkenness,not in sexual promiscuityand sensuality,not in strifeand jealousy.
For he who in this[way] servesChristis acceptableto Godand approvedby men.
and for the Gentilesto glorifyGodfor His mercy;as it is written,"THEREFOREI WILL GIVE PRAISETO YOU AMONGTHE GENTILES,AND I WILL SINGTO YOUR NAME."
the secretsof his heartare disclosed;and sohe will fallon his faceand worshipGod,declaringthat Godis certainlyamongyou.
For our proud confidenceis this:the testimonyof our conscience,that in holinessand godlysincerity,not in fleshlywisdombut in the graceof God,we have conductedourselves in the world,and especiallytowardyou.
Nowwe prayto Godthat you donowrong;not that we ourselvesmay appearapproved,but that you may dowhat is right,eventhoughwe may appearunapproved.
for we have regardfor what is honorable,not onlyin the sightof the Lord,but alsoin the sightof men.
Amongthem we tooallformerlylivedin the lustsof our flesh,indulgingthe desiresof the fleshand of the mind,and were by naturechildrenof wrath,evenas the rest.
that, in referenceto your formermanner of life,you lay asidethe oldself,which is being corruptedin accordancewith the lustsof deceit,
Onlyconductyourselves in a manner worthyof the gospelof Christ,sothat whetherI comeand seeyou orremain absent,I will hearof you that you are standing firmin onespirit,with onemindstriving togetherfor the faithof the gospel;
Finally,brethren,whateveris true,whateveris honorable,whateveris right,whateveris pure,whateveris lovely,whateveris of good repute,ifthere is anyexcellenceand ifanythingworthy of praise,dwellon these things.
sothat you will behaveproperlytowardoutsidersand not be in anyneed.
for kingsand allwho are in authority,sothat we may leada tranquiland quietlifein allgodlinessand dignity.
Let no onelook downon your youthfulness,but [rather] in speech,conduct,love,faith[and] purity,showyourself an exampleof thosewho believe.
having a reputationfor goodworks;[and] ifshe has brought up children,ifshe has shown hospitality to strangers,ifshe has washedthe saints'feet,ifshe has assistedthose in distress,[and] ifshe has devoted herselfto everygoodwork.
Prayfor us, for we are surethat we havea goodconscience,desiringto conductourselves honorablyin all things.
[Make sure that] your characteris free from the love of money,being contentwith what you have;for He Himselfhas said,"I WILL NEVERDESERTYOU, NORWILL I EVERFORSAKEYOU,"
Whoamongyou is wiseand understanding?Let him showby his goodbehaviorhis deedsin the gentlenessof wisdom.
For suchis the willof Godthat by doing rightyou may silencethe ignoranceof foolishmen.
and keepa goodconsciencesothat in the thing in whichyou are slandered,thosewho revileyour goodbehaviorin Christwill be put to shame.
Whoeverspeaks,[is to do so] as onewho is speakingthe utterancesof God;whoeverserves[is to do] [so] as onewho is servingby the strengthwhichGodsupplies;sothat in all thingsGodmay be glorifiedthroughJesusChrist,to whombelongsthe gloryand dominionforeverand ever.Amen.
Since allthese thingsare to be destroyedin this way,what sortof people oughtyou to be in holyconductand godliness,
So she layat his feetuntilmorningand rosebeforeonecould recognizeanother;and he said,"Let it not be knownthat the womancameto the threshingfloor."
