Činiti dobro
1Podsjećaj ih da se pokoravaju poglavarima i vlastima, da budu poslušni i spremni na svako dobro djelo. 2Neka ni o komu ružno ne govore, neka se ne svađaju i neka budu popustljivi, vrlo blagi prema svima.
3I mi smo nekoć bili nerazumni, nepokorni, zalutali u ropstvo raznih požuda i grešnih naslada. Živjeli smo u zlu i zavisti. Mrzili smo druge i oni su mrzili nas.
4Ali tada nam je Bog, naš Spasitelj, iskazao svoju dobrotu i ljubav. 5Spasio nas je, ali ne zbog dobrih djela koja smo činili, nego zbog svojega milosrđa. Oprao nas je od grijeha i dao nam da se rodimo u novi život po Svetome Duhu 6kojega je na nas obilno izlio zbog onoga što je za nas učinio Isus Krist, Spasitelj naš. 7Opravdao nas je svojom milošću i učinio baštinicima vječnoga života kojemu se nadamo. 8Sve što sam ti rekao je istina. Hoću da to uporno tvrdiš da se oni koji su povjerovali Bogu posvete vršenju djela ljubavi. To je svima dobro i korisno.
Pavlove završne napomene i pozdravi
9Kloni se budalastih prepirki oko rodoslovlja, svađa i ispraznih rasprava o židovskim zakonima jer je to posve nekorisno i nevrijedno. 10Izaziva li tko među vama razdor, dvaput ga opomeni. Ako ne posluša, nemojte više ništa s njim imati 11jer je pokvaren i griješi te tako sam sebe osuđuje.
12Kanim k tebi poslati Artemu ili Tihika. Čim stigne, požuri k meni u Nikopol jer sam ondje odlučio zimovati. 13Učini sve što možeš za pravnika Zenu i Apolona na putu. Pobrini se da imaju sve što im treba. 14Jer naši ljudi ne bi smjeli živjeti neplodnim životom. Moraju naučiti prednjačiti djelima ljubavi prema ljudima u potrebi.
15Svi koji su sa mnom pozdravljaju vas. Pozdravi vjernike koji nas vole.
Neka je Božja milost sa svima vama.
Do What Is Good Because You Are Saved
1Remind God’s people to obey rulers and authorities. Remind them to be ready to do what is good. 2Tell them not to speak evil things against anyone. Remind them to live in peace. They must consider the needs of others. They must always be gentle toward everyone.
3At one time we too acted like fools. We didn’t obey God. We were tricked. We were controlled by all kinds of desires and pleasures. We were full of evil. We wanted what belongs to others. People hated us, and we hated one another. 4But the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared. 5He saved us. It wasn’t because of the good things we had done. It was because of his mercy. He saved us by washing away our sins. We were born again. The Holy Spirit gave us new life. 6God poured out the Spirit on us freely. That’s because of what Jesus Christ our Savior has done. 7His grace made us right with God. So now we have received the hope of eternal life as God’s children. 8You can trust this saying. These things are important. Treat them that way. Then those who trust in God will be careful to commit themselves to doing good. These things are excellent. They are for the good of everyone.
9But keep away from foolish disagreements. Don’t argue about family histories. Don’t make trouble. Don’t fight about what the law teaches. Don’t argue about things like that. It doesn’t do any good. It doesn’t help anyone. 10Warn anyone who tries to get believers to separate from one another. Warn that person more than once. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11You can be sure that people like this are twisted and sinful. Their own actions judge them.
Final Words
12I will send Artemas or Tychicus to you. Then do your best to come to me at Nicopolis. I’ve decided to spend the winter there. 13Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos. Send them on their way. See that they have everything they need.
14Our people must learn to commit themselves to doing what is good. Then they can provide for people when they are in great need. If they do that, their lives won’t turn out to be useless.
15Everyone who is with me sends you greetings.
Greet those who love us in the faith.
May God’s grace be with you all.
