1. Remind them to be obedient to the officials in authority; to be ready to do good at every opportunity;

2. not to go slandering other people but to be peaceable and gentle, and always polite to people of all kinds.

3. There was a time when we too were ignorant, disobedient and misled and enslaved by different passions and dissipations; we lived then in wickedness and malice, hating each other and hateful ourselves.

4. But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour for humanity were revealed,

5. it was not because of any upright actions we had done ourselves; it was for no reason except his own faithful love that he saved us, by means of the cleansing water of rebirth and renewal in the Holy Spirit

6. which he has so generously poured over us through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

7. so that, justified by his grace, we should become heirs in hope of eternal life.

8. This is doctrine that you can rely on. I want you to be quite uncompromising in teaching all this, so that those who now believe in God may keep their minds constantly occupied in doing good works. All this is good, and useful for everybody.

9. But avoid foolish speculations, and those genealogies, and the quibbles and disputes about the Law -- they are useless and futile.

10. If someone disputes what you teach, then after a first and a second warning, have no more to do with him:

11. you will know that anyone of that sort is warped and is self-condemned as a sinner.

12. As soon as I have sent Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to join me at Nicopolis, where I have decided to spend the winter.

13. Help eagerly on their way Zenas the lawyer and Apollos, and make sure they have everything they need.

14. All our people must also learn to occupy themselves in doing good works for their practical needs, and not to be unproductive.