Final Instructions and Greetings

¹⁷ I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles ^(A)contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; ^(B)avoid them. ¹⁸ For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but ^(C)their own appetites,^[a] and ^(D)by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

⁹ Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, ^(A)does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching ^(B)has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, ^(C)do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, ¹¹ for whoever greets him ^(D)takes part in his wicked works.

The Temple of the Living God

^14 (A)Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For ^(B)what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or ^(C)what fellowship has light with darkness? ^15 (D)What accord has Christ with Belial?^[a] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ^(E)we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

^11 (A)Take no part in the ^(B)unfruitful ^(C)works of darkness, but instead ^(D)expose them.

⁹ He must ^(A)hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in ^(B)sound^[a] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

¹⁰ For there are many who are insubordinate, ^(C)empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of ^(D)the circumcision party.^{[b] 11} They must be silenced, since ^(E)they are upsetting whole families by teaching ^(F)for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. ^12 (G)One of the Cretans,^[c] a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”^{[d] 13} This testimony is true. Therefore ^(H)rebuke them ^(I)sharply, that they ^(J)may be sound in the faith, ^14 (K)not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and ^(L)the commands of people ^(M)who turn away from the truth. ^15 (N)To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and ^(O)unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both ^(P)their minds and their consciences are defiled. ^16 (Q)They profess to know God, but they ^(R)deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, ^(S)unfit for any good work.