And thisI pray,that your lovemay aboundstillmoreand morein real knowledgeand alldiscernment,
"Nevertheless the righteouswill holdto his way,And he who has cleanhandswill growstrongerand stronger.
Teachme gooddiscernmentand knowledge,For I believein Your commandments.
But the pathof the righteousis like the lightof dawn,That shinesbrighterand brighteruntilthe fullday.
Brethren,do not be childrenin your thinking;yetin evilbe infants,but in your thinkingbe mature.
But justas you aboundin everything,in faithand utteranceand knowledgeand in allearnestnessand in the lovewe inspiredin you, [see] that you aboundin thisgracious workalso.
Sothendo not be foolish,but understandwhatthe willof the Lordis.
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--
and may the Lordcauseyou to increaseand aboundin lovefor one another,and for all people,justas we also[do] for you;
Finallythen,brethren,we requestand exhortyou in the LordJesus,that as you receivedfrom us [instruction] as to howyou oughtto walkand pleaseGod(justas you actuallydo walk),that you excelstill more.
We oughtalwaysto give thanksto Godfor you, brethren,as is [only] fitting,becauseyour faithis greatly enlarged,and the loveof eachoneof you towardone anothergrows [ever] greater;
[and I pray] that the fellowshipof your faithmay becomeeffectivethroughthe knowledgeof everygood thingwhich is in you for Christ'ssake.
But solidfoodis for the mature,who becauseof practicehavetheir sensestrainedto discerngoodand evil.
Since you have in obedienceto the truthpurifiedyour soulsfor a sincerelove of the brethren,ferventlyloveone anotherfrom the heart,
but growin the graceand knowledgeof our Lordand SaviorJesusChrist.To Him [be] the glory,bothnowand to the dayof eternity.Amen.
