But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message ¹  would be fully proclaimed ²  for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion’s mouth!

This saying ¹  is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, ²  so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people.

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’” ¹  And yet God’s works ²  were accomplished from the foundation of the world.

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God, ¹  who said to him, “You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,” ² 

But ¹  showing its fault, ²  God ³  says to them, ⁴  “Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

So as your fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings and as one who shares in the glory that will be revealed, I urge the elders among you:

I can pray this because his divine power ¹  has bestowed on us everything necessary ²  for life and godliness through the rich knowledge ³  of the one who called ⁴  us by ⁵  his own glory and excellence.

For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when that ¹  voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: “This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted.” ² 

(My little children, ¹  I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. ² ) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate ³  with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One, ⁴ 

The one who says “I have come to know God” ¹  and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.

Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. ¹  The old commandment is the word that you have already ²  heard.

On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you which is true in him ¹  and in you, because ²  the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. ³ 

If anyone says ¹  “I love God” and yet ²  hates his fellow Christian, ³  he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian ⁴  whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. ⁵ 

But I hope to see you right away, and we will speak face to face. ¹  (1:15) Peace be with you. ²  The friends here ³  greet you. Greet the friends ⁴  there ⁵  by name.

Now I desire to remind you (even though you have been fully informed of these facts ¹  once for all ² ) that Jesus, ³  having saved the ⁴  people out of the land of Egypt, later ⁵  destroyed those who did not believe.

I, John, your brother and the one who shares ¹  with you in the persecution, kingdom, and endurance that ²  are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus. ³ 

Therefore, remember from what high state ¹  you have fallen and repent! Do ²  the deeds you did at the first; ³  if not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place – that is, if you do not repent. ⁴ 

The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, ¹  I will permit ²  him to eat from the tree of life that is ³  in the paradise of God.’ ⁴ 

But I have this against you: You tolerate that ¹  woman ²  Jezebel, ³  who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives ⁴  my servants ⁵  to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. ⁶ 

The one who conquers ¹  will be dressed like them ²  in white clothing, ³  and I will never ⁴  erase ⁵  his name from the book of life, but ⁶  will declare ⁷  his name before my Father and before his angels.