Stay away from every form of evil.

For people everywhere report how you welcomed us and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

in that our gospel did not come to you merely in words, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction (surely you recall the character we displayed when we came among you to help you).

See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.

But now Timothy has come to us from you and given us the good news of your faith and love and that you always think of us with affection and long to see us just as we also long to see you!

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who labor among you and preside over you in the Lord and admonish you,

For you became imitators, brothers and sisters, of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they in fact did from the Jews,