Study Desk

Which is a clear sign of the decision which God in his righteousness has made; to give you a part in his kingdom, for which you have undergone this pain;

And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus comes from heaven with the angels of his power in flames of fire,

Whose reward will be eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his strength,

At his coming, when he will have glory in his saints, and will be a cause of wonder in all those who had faith (because our witness among you had effect) in that day.

For this reason, you are ever in our prayers, that you may seem to our God such as may have a part in his purpose and that by his power he will make all his good purpose, and the work of faith, complete;

Who puts himself against all authority, lifting himself up over all which is named God or is given worship; so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, putting himself forward as God.

And now it is clear to you what is keeping back his revelation till the time comes for him to be seen.

And then will come the revelation of that evil one, whom the Lord Jesus will put to death with the breath of his mouth, and give to destruction by the revelation of his coming;

I give praise to him who gave me power, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he took me to be true, making me his servant,

But for this reason I was given mercy, so that in me, the chief of sinners, Jesus Christ might make clear all his mercy, as an example to those who in the future would have faith in him to eternal life.

The Bishop, then, is to be a man of good name, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, serious-minded, having respect for order, opening his house freely to guests, a ready teacher;

Ruling his house well, having his children under control with all serious behaviour;

(For if a man has not the art of ruling his house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

Not one newly taken into the church, for fear that, through his high opinion of himself, he may come into the same sin as the Evil One.

If anyone has no care for his family and those in his house, he is false to the faith, and is worse than one who has no faith.

For the Writings say, It is not right to keep the ox from taking the grain when he is crushing it. And, The worker has a right to his reward.

Let all who are servants under the yoke give all honour to their masters, so that no evil may be said against the name of God and his teaching.

Have no feeling of shame, then, for the witness of our Lord or for me, his prisoner: but undergo all things for the good news in the measure of the power of God;

Who gave us salvation, marking us out for his purpose, not on account of our works, but in the measure of his purpose and his grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,

And for which I undergo these things: but I have no feeling of shame. For I have knowledge of him in whom I have faith, and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have given into his care till that day.