Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you,
Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,
Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.
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.