that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
They have dealt corruptly with him; they are no longer his children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted generation.
Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.
Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.
As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.”
There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.
Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.
So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander.
Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach.
Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.