Nowfor thisveryreason also,applyingalldiligence,in your faithsupplymoralexcellence, and in [your] moral excellence,knowledge,
You have ordainedYour precepts,That we should keep[them] diligently.
Watchover your heartwith alldiligence,For from it [flow] the springsof life.
"Whydo you spendmoneyfor what is not bread,And your wagesfor whatdoes not satisfy?Listencarefullyto Me, and eatwhatis good,And delightyourselfin abundance.
"Those whoare faroff will comeand buildthe templeof the LORD."Then you will knowthat the LORDof hostshas sentme to you. And it will takeplaceifyou completelyobeythe LORDyour God.
And besidesallthis,betweenus and you there is a greatchasmfixed,sothat thosewho wishto come overfrom hereto you will not be able,and [that] nonemay cross overfrom thereto us.'
"But we were hopingthat it was He who was goingto redeemIsrael.Indeed,besidesallthis,it is the thirddaysincethese thingshappened.
"Do not workfor the foodwhich perishes,but for the foodwhich enduresto eternallife,whichthe Sonof Manwill giveto you, for on Him the Father,God,has set His seal."
Brethren,do not be childrenin your thinking;yetin evilbe infants,but in your thinkingbe mature.
Sothendo not be foolish,but understandwhatthe willof the Lordis.
And thisI pray,that your lovemay aboundstillmoreand morein real knowledgeand alldiscernment,
So then,my beloved,justas you have alwaysobeyed,not as in my presenceonly,but nowmuchmorein my absence,workout your salvationwith fearand trembling;
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.
For thisreasonalso,sincethe daywe heard[of it], we have not ceasedto prayfor you and to askthat you may be filledwith the knowledgeof His willin allspiritualwisdomand understanding,
in whomare hiddenallthe treasuresof wisdomand knowledge.
And withoutfaithit is impossibleto please[Him], for he who comesto Godmustbelievethat He is and [that] He is a rewarderof thosewho seekHim.
Seeto it that noonecomes shortof the graceof God;that norootof bitternessspringingup causes trouble,and by it manybe defiled;
And we desirethat each oneof you showthe samediligencesoas to realize the full assuranceof hopeuntilthe end,
They returnedto Joshuaand saidto him, "Do not let allthe peoplegoup; [only] about two orthreethousandmenneed goup to Ai;do not make allthe peopletoilup there,for they are few."
You husbandsin the same way,livewith [your wives] in an understanding way,as with someoneweaker,since she is a woman;and showher honoras a fellow heirof the graceof life,sothat your prayerswill not be hindered.
Therefore,brethren,be all the morediligentto makecertainabout His callingand choosingyou; for as long as you practicethese things,you will neverstumble;
for in this waythe entranceinto the eternalkingdomof our Lordand SaviorJesusChristwill be abundantlysuppliedto you.
Therefore,beloved,since you lookfor these things,be diligentto be foundby Him in peace,spotlessand blameless,
but growin the graceand knowledgeof our Lordand SaviorJesusChrist.To Him [be] the glory,bothnowand to the dayof eternity.Amen.
