Dariet labus darbus!
1 Atgādini vēl, lai viņi visi pakļautos valdniekiem un varām, lai ir paklausīgi un ir gatavi uz jebkuru krietnu darbu. 2 Lai viņi nevienu nezaimo, lai ir miermīlīgi un piekāpīgi, pret visiem cilvēkiem lai izrāda pazemību. 3 Kādreiz arī mēs bijām nesaprātīgi un nepaklausīgi Dievam, maldījāmies, vergodami visdažādākām iekārēm un baudām, dzīvodami ļaunumā un skaudībā, būdami naida pilni un nicinādami pārējos cilvēkus. 4 Bet, kad atklājās mūsu glābēja Dieva dāsnums un mīlestība uz cilvēkiem, 5 tas notika nevis taisnības darbu dēļ, ko mēs darījām, bet Dievs savā apžēlošanā mūs izglāba ar atdzimšanas mazgāšanu un atjaunošanos Svētajā Garā, 6 ko viņš bagātīgi pār mums izlēja caur mūsu glābēju Jēzu Kristu, 7 lai viņa žēlastībā mēs tiktu attaisnoti un kļūtu mūžīgās dzīvības mantinieki, uz ko esam cerējuši. 8 Uzticami ir šie vārdi. Es gribu, lai tu par šīm lietām stingri iestājies, ka tie, kas uzticējušies Dievam, cieši apņemas nodoties krietniem darbiem. Tas ir labi un noderīgi visiem cilvēkiem. 9 Turies tālāk no muļķīgiem prātojumiem, cilts rakstiem, ķildām un strīdiem par bauslību – tas viss ir nederīgi un tukši. 10 Kas ir maldos, to brīdini vienreiz, tad otrreiz, pēc tam no viņa izvairies, 11 apzinoties, ka tāds cilvēks ir samaitāts. Viņš grēko un pats sevi jau ir notiesājis.
Personīgi norādījumi un sveicieni
12 Tiklīdz es būšu nosūtījis pie tevis Artemu vai Tihiku, steidzies ierasties pie manis Nikopolē, jo tur esmu nolēmis pārlaist ziemu. 13 Rūpīgi sagatavo ceļam likuma zinātāju Zēnu un Apollu, lai viņiem nekā netrūktu. 14 Arī mūsējie lai mācās nodoties krietniem darbiem, kur tas ir nepieciešams, lai viņu dzīve nepaliktu bez augļiem. 15 Tevi sveicina visi, kas man līdzās. Sveicini tos, kas mūs ticībā mīl! Žēlastība lai ir ar jums visiem!
Christian Conduct
1 Remind your people to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey them, and to be ready to do good in every way. 2 Tell them not to speak evil of anyone, but to be peaceful and friendly, and always to show a gentle attitude toward everyone. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and wrong. We were slaves to passions and pleasures of all kinds. We spent our lives in malice and envy; others hated us and we hated them. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed, 5 he saved us. It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that he saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us. 6 God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that by his grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for. 8 This is a true saying.
I want you to give special emphasis to these matters, so that those who believe in God may be concerned with giving their time to doing good deeds, which are good and useful for everyone. 9 But avoid stupid arguments, long lists of ancestors, quarrels, and fights about the Law. They are useless and worthless. 10 Give at least two warnings to those who cause divisions, and then have nothing more to do with them. 11 You know that such people are corrupt, and their sins prove that they are wrong.
Final Instructions
12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Do your best to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos to get started on their travels, and see to it that they have everything they need. 14 Our people must learn to spend their time doing good, in order to provide for real needs; they should not live useless lives.
15 All who are with me send you greetings. Give our greetings to our friends in the faith.
God's grace be with you all.
