[and I pray] that the fellowshipof your faithmay becomeeffectivethroughthe knowledgeof everygood thingwhich is in you for Christ'ssake.
"Immediatelythe one who had receivedthe fivetalentswentand tradedwith them, and gainedfivemoretalents.
"Let your lightshinebeforemenin such a waythat they may seeyour goodworks,and glorifyyour Fatherwho is in heaven.
the secretsof his heartare disclosed;and sohe will fallon his faceand worshipGod,declaringthat Godis certainlyamongyou.
for a widedoorfor effective[service] has openedto me, and there are manyadversaries.
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,
and have puton the new selfwho is being renewedto a true knowledgeaccordingto the imageof the One who createdhim--
Our peoplemust alsolearnto engagein gooddeedsto meet pressingneeds,sothat they will not be unfruitful.
For Godis not unjustso as to forgetyour workand the lovewhichyou have showntowardHis name,in having ministeredand in still ministeringto the saints.
Whatuseis it, my brethren,ifsomeonesayshe hasfaithbut he hasnoworks?Canthat faithsavehim?
Evensofaith,ifit hasnoworks,is dead,[being] by itself.
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.
In the same way,you wives,be submissiveto your ownhusbandssothat evenifany[of them] are disobedientto the word,they may be wonwithouta wordby the behaviorof their wives,
and keepa goodconsciencesothat in the thing in whichyou are slandered,thosewho revileyour goodbehaviorin Christwill be put to shame.
For if these[qualities] are yoursand are increasing,they renderyou neitheruselessnorunfruitfulin the true knowledgeof our LordJesusChrist.
