You’ve kept my command to remain strong in the faith no matter what happens, so I’m going to keep you from the time of suffering that the rest of the world is going to experience. That suffering will test those who live on the earth.
People who want to get rich are tempted, and they fall into a trap. They start to have many foolish and harmful desires that drag them down into ruin and destruction.
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught. Then he’ll be able to comfort others and build them up with the true teaching, and he’ll be able to prove that people who oppose it are wrong.
‘I know what you’ve been doing. Look! I’ve opened a door in front of you, and no one can shut it. I know you don’t have much strength, but you’ve obeyed my word, and you haven’t denied me.
These enemies left our community of believers, but they didn’t really belong to us. If they had belonged to us, they would have stayed with us. By leaving, they showed that none of them really belonged to us.
Some of you are trying to be made right with God by obeying the law. As a result, you’ve been separated from Christ and you’ve fallen away from God’s grace.
So remember what you’ve been taught and what you’ve heard. Hold firmly to it and turn away from your sins. If you don’t wake up, I’ll come like a thief, and you won’t know when I’m coming to you.
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you openly told others what you believed in front of many witnesses.