1 T each your people to obey the leaders of their country. They should be ready to do any good work.

Remind people to be submissive to magistrates and authorities, to be obedient, to be prepared and willing to do any upright and honorable work,

2 T hey must not speak bad of anyone, and they must not argue. They should be gentle and kind to all people. God Saved Us from All These Things

To slander or abuse or speak evil of no one, to avoid being contentious, to be forbearing (yielding, gentle, and conciliatory), and to show unqualified courtesy toward everybody.

3 T here was a time when we were foolish and did not obey. We were fooled in many ways. Strong desires held us in their power. We wanted only to please ourselves. We wanted what others had and were angry when we could not have them. We hated others and they hated us.

For we also were once thoughtless and senseless, obstinate and disobedient, deluded and misled; slaves to all sorts of cravings and pleasures, wasting our days in malice and jealousy and envy, hateful (hated, detestable) and hating one another.

4 B ut God, the One Who saves, showed how kind He was and how He loved us

But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man appeared,

5 b y saving us from the punishment of sin. It was not because we worked to be right with God. It was because of His loving-kindness that He washed our sins away. At the same time He gave us new life when the Holy Spirit came into our lives.

He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by cleansing of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

6 G od gave the Holy Spirit to fill our lives through Jesus Christ, the One Who saves.

Which He poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.

7 B ecause of this, we are made right with God by His loving-favor. Now we can have life that lasts forever as He has promised.

that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved),, and that we might become heirs of eternal life according to hope.

8 W hat I have told you is true. Teach these things all the time so those who have put their trust in God will be careful to do good things. These things are good and will help all men.

This message is most trustworthy, and concerning these things I want you to insist steadfastly, so that those who have believed in (trusted in, relied on) God may be careful to apply themselves to honorable occupations and to doing good, for such things are excellent and right, but good and profitable for the people.

9 D o not argue with people about foolish questions and about the Law. Do not spend time talking about all of your early fathers. This does not help anyone and it is of no use.

But avoid stupid and foolish controversies and genealogies and dissensions and wrangling about the Law, for they are unprofitable and futile.

10 T alk once or twice to a person who tries to divide people into groups against each other. If he does not stop, have nothing to do with him.

a man who is factious, after admonishing him a first and second time, reject,

11 Y ou can be sure he is going the wrong way. He is sinning and he knows it.

Well aware that such a person has utterly changed (is perverted and corrupted); he goes on sinning is convicted of guilt and self-condemned.

12 I will send Artemas or Tychicus to you. As soon as one of them gets there, try to come to me in the city of Nicopolis. I have decided to spend the winter there.

When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, lose no time but make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.

13 Z enas, the man who knows the law, and Apollos are going on a trip. Do everything you can to help them.

Do your utmost to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they want for (lack) nothing.

14 O ur people must learn to work hard. They must work for what they need and be able to give to others who need help. Then their lives will not be wasted.

And let our own learn to apply themselves to good deeds (to honest labor and honorable employment), so that they may be able to meet necessary demands whenever the occasion may require and not be living idle and uncultivated and unfruitful lives.

15 A ll those with me here greet you. Greet my Christian friends there. May you have God’s loving-favor.

All who are with me wish to be remembered to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace (God’s favor and blessing) be with you all. Amen (so be it).