Stand Firm

¹³ But we ought always to thank God for you,^(A) brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits^[a](B) to be saved^(C) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit^(D) and through belief in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you^(E) to this through our gospel,^(F) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁵ So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm^(G) and hold fast to the teachings^[b] we passed on to you,^(H) whether by word of mouth or by letter.

¹⁶ May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,^(I) who loved us^(J) and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, ¹⁷ encourage^(K) your hearts and strengthen^(L) you in every good deed and word.

⁵⁰ I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood^(A) cannot inherit the kingdom of God,^(B) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.^{(C) 51} Listen, I tell you a mystery:^(D) We will not all sleep,^(E) but we will all be changed^(F)— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,^(G) the dead^(H) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable^(I) must clothe itself with the imperishable,^(J) and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^[a](K)

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin,^(M) and the power of sin is the law.^{(N) 57} But thanks be to God!^(O) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.^(P)

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,^(Q) because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.^(R)

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”^[a](A) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,^(B) and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City,^(C) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,^(D) prepared as a bride^(E) beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.^(F) They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.^{(G) 4} ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.^(H) There will be no more death’^[b](I) or mourning or crying or pain,^(J) for the old order of things has passed away.”^(K)

⁵ He who was seated on the throne^(L) said, “I am making everything new!”^(M) Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”^(N)

⁶ He said to me: “It is done.^(O) I am the Alpha and the Omega,^(P) the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost^(Q) from the spring of the water of life.^{(R) 7} Those who are victorious^(S) will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.^(T)

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay^(A) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God^(B) and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side,^(C) but not crushed; perplexed,^(D) but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted,^(E) but not abandoned;^(F) struck down, but not destroyed.^{(G) 10} We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,^(H) so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.^{(I) 11} For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,^(J) so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.^(K)

¹³ It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”^[a](L) Since we have that same spirit of^[b] faith,^(M) we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead^(N) will also raise us with Jesus^(O) and present us with you to himself.^{(P) 15} All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving^(Q) to overflow to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart.^(R) Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly^(S) we are being renewed^(T) day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.^{(U) 18} So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,^(V) since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.