Study Desk

And, A stone of falling, a rock of trouble; the word is the cause of their fall, because they go against it, and this was the purpose of God.

Keep all the laws of men because of the Lord; those of the king, who is over all,

Because it is God's pleasure that foolish and narrow-minded men may be put to shame by your good behaviour:

This is God's purpose for you: because Jesus himself underwent punishment for you, giving you an example, so that you might go in his footsteps:

Because, like sheep, you had gone out of the way; but now you have come back to him who keeps watch over your souls.

Not giving back evil for evil, or curse for curse, but in place of cursing, blessing; because this is the purpose of God for you that you may have a heritage of blessing.

But you are happy if you undergo pain because of righteousness; have no part in their fear and do not be troubled;

Because if it is God's purpose for you to undergo pain, it is better to do so for well-doing than for evil-doing.

Because Christ once went through pain for sins, the upright one taking the place of sinners, so that through him we might come back to God; being put to death in the flesh, but given life in the Spirit;

Because for long enough, in times past, we have been living after the way of the Gentiles, given up to the desires of the flesh, to drinking and feasting and loose behaviour and unclean worship of images;

And most of all be warm in your love for one another; because in love there is forgiveness for sins without number:

If men say evil things of you because of the name of Christ, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory and of God is resting on you.

Because by his power he has given us everything necessary for life and righteousness, through the knowledge of him who has been our guide by his glory and virtue;

(Because the soul of that upright man living among them was pained from day to day by seeing and hearing their crimes):

Saying that they will be free, while they themselves are the servants of destruction; because whatever gets the better of a man makes a servant of him.

But he who has hate for his brother is in the dark, walking in the dark with no knowledge of where he is going, unable to see because of the dark.

I am writing to you, my children, because you have forgiveness of sins through his name.

I am writing to you, fathers, because you have knowledge of him who was from the first. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the Evil One. I have sent a letter to you, children, because you have knowledge of the Father.

I have sent a letter to you, fathers, because you have knowledge of him who was from the first. I have sent a letter to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God is in you, and because you have overcome the Evil One.

Because everything in the world, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world.