Thereforeleavingthe elementaryteachingabout the Christ,let us presson to maturity,not layingagaina foundationof repentancefrom deadworksand of faithtowardGod,
But the pathof the righteousis like the lightof dawn,That shinesbrighterand brighteruntilthe fullday.
"I will pourout on the houseof Davidand on the inhabitantsof Jerusalem,the Spiritof graceand of supplication,so that they will lookon Me whomthey have pierced;and they will mournfor Him, as one mournsfor an onlyson,and they will weepbitterlyoverHim like the bitterweepingovera firstborn.
"And he answered,'I will not'; but afterwardhe regrettedit and went.
"For Johncameto you in the wayof righteousnessand you did not believehim; but the tax collectorsand prostitutesdid believehim; and you, seeing[this], did not evenfeel remorseafterwardso as to believehim.
"Repent,for the kingdomof heavenis at hand."
From that timeJesusbeganto preachand say,"Repent,for the kingdomof heavenis at hand."
"Thereforeyou are to be perfect,as your heavenlyFatheris perfect.
"And the rainfell,and the floodscame,and the windsblewand slammed againstthat house;and [yet] it did not fall,for it had been foundedon the rock.
The beginningof the gospelof JesusChrist,the Sonof God.
They wentout and preachedthat [men] should repent.
he is likea manbuildinga house,whodugdeepand laida foundationon the rock;and when a floodoccurred,the torrentburst againstthat houseand couldnot shakeit, becauseit had been wellbuilt.
And Jesuscriedout and said,"He who believesin Me, does not believein Me but in Him who sentMe.
"Do not let your heartbe troubled;believein God,believealsoin Me.
"Truly,truly,I sayto you, he who hearsMy word,and believesHim who sentMe, haseternallife,and does not comeinto judgment,but has passedout of deathinto life.
When they heardthis,they quieted downand glorifiedGod,saying,"Well then,Godhas grantedto the Gentilesalsothe repentance[that leads] to life."
"Thereforehaving overlookedthe timesof ignorance,Godis nowdeclaringto menthat all[people] everywhereshould repent,
Peter[said] to them, "Repent,and eachof you be baptizedin the nameof JesusChristfor the forgivenessof your sins;and you will receivethe giftof the HolySpirit.
solemnly testifyingto bothJewsand Greeksof repentancetowardGodand faithin our LordJesusChrist.
but [kept] declaringbothto thoseof Damascusfirst,and [also] at Jerusalemand [then] throughout allthe regionof Judea,and [even] to the Gentiles,that they should repentand turnto God,performingdeedsappropriateto repentance.
"Thereforerepentand return,sothat your sinsmay be wiped away,in orderthat timesof refreshingmay comefrom the presenceof the Lord;
but whenthe perfectcomes,the partialwill be done away.
Yetwe do speakwisdomamongthosewho are mature;a wisdom,however,not of thisagenorof the rulersof thisage,who are passing away;
Therefore,havingthesepromises,beloved,let us cleanseourselvesfrom alldefilementof fleshand spirit,perfectingholinessin the fearof God.
For the sorrowthat is accordingto [the will] [of] Godproducesa repentancewithout regret,[leading] to salvation,but the sorrowof the worldproducesdeath.
And you were deadin your trespassesand sins,
evenwhen we were deadin our transgressions,made us alive togetherwith Christ(by graceyou have beensaved),
for the equippingof the saintsfor the workof service,to the buildingup of the bodyof Christ;
We proclaimHim, admonishingeverymanand teachingeverymanwith allwisdom,sothat we may presenteverymancompletein Christ.
Beyondallthese things[put on] love,whichis the perfectbond of unity.
Epaphras,whois one of your number,a bondslaveof JesusChrist,sends you his greetings,alwayslaboring earnestlyfor you in his prayers,that you may standperfectand fully assuredin allthe willof God.
By common confession,greatis the mysteryof godliness:He whowas revealedin the flesh,Was vindicatedin the Spirit,Seenby angels,Proclaimedamongthe nations,Believedon in the world,Takenup in glory.
storingup for themselvesthe treasureof a goodfoundationfor the future,sothat they may take holdof that which is lifeindeed.
Nevertheless,the firmfoundationof Godstands,havingthisseal,"The Lordknowsthosewho are His," and, "Everyonewho namesthe nameof the Lordis to abstainfrom wickedness."
And withoutfaithit is impossibleto please[Him], for he who comesto Godmustbelievethat He is and [that] He is a rewarderof thosewho seekHim.
and makestraightpathsfor your feet,sothat [the limb] which is lamemay not be put out of joint,but ratherbe healed.
Nowifperfectionwas throughthe Leviticalpriesthood(for on the basisof it the peoplereceived the Law),whatfurtherneed[was there] for anotherpriestto ariseaccordingto the orderof Melchizedek,and not be designatedaccordingto the orderof Aaron?
how muchmorewill the bloodof Christ,whothroughthe eternalSpiritofferedHimselfwithout blemishto God,cleanseyour consciencefrom deadworksto servethe livingGod?
And let endurancehave[its] perfectresult,sothat you may be perfectand complete,lackingin nothing.
who throughHim are believersin God,who raisedHim from the deadand gaveHim glory,sothat your faithand hopeare in God.
After you have sufferedfor a little while,the Godof allgrace,who calledyou to His eternalgloryin Christ,will Himselfperfect,confirm,strengthen[and] establishyou.
No onehas seenGodat any time;ifwe loveone another,Godabidesin us, and His loveis perfectedin us.
