not fitting in

¹⁹If you had been of the world, the world would love what is its own. Yet truly, you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world; because of this, the world hates you.

¹²And all those who willingly live the piety in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

¹⁹For this is grace: when, because of God, a man willingly endures sorrows, suffering injustice. ²⁰For what glory is there, if you sin and then suffer a beating? But if you do well and suffer patiently, this is grace with God. ²¹For you have been called to this because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in his footsteps.

²⁸And we know that, for those who love God, all things work together unto good, for those who, in accordance with his purpose, are called to be saints.

¹³Everything is possible in him who has strengthened me.

²And do not choose to be conformed to this age, but instead choose to be reformed in the newness of your mind, so that you may demonstrate what is the will of God: what is good, and what is well-pleasing, and what is perfect.

¹⁴Do not choose to bear the yoke with unbelievers. For how can justice be a participant with iniquity? Or how can the fellowship of light be a participant with darkness?

²⁵not deserting our assembly, as some are accustomed to do, but consoling one another, and even more so as you see that the day is approaching.

⁹him whose advent is accompanied by the works of Satan, with every kind of power and signs and false miracles, ¹⁰and with every seduction of iniquity, toward those who are perishing because they have not accepted the love of truth, so that they may be saved. For this reason, God will send to them works of deception, so that they may believe in lies, ¹¹in order that all those who have not believed in the truth, but who have consented to iniquity, may be judged. ¹²Yet we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers, beloved of God, because God has chosen you as first-fruits for salvation, by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth.

²⁶And he said: “Let us make Man to our image and likeness. And let him rule over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and the wild beasts, and the entire earth, and every animal that moves on the earth.” ²⁷And God created man to his own image; to the image of God he created him; male and female, he created them.

³Let no one deceive you in any way. For this cannot be, unless the apostasy will have arrived first, and the man of sin will have been revealed, the son of perdition,

¹⁷Because of this, you must depart from their midst and be separate, says the Lord. And do not touch what is unclean.

²¹But he has no root in himself, so it is only for a time; then, when tribulation and persecution occur because of the word, he promptly stumbles.

¹Therefore, as most beloved sons, be imitators of God. ²And walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and delivered himself for us, as an oblation and a sacrifice to God, with a fragrance of sweetness. ³But let not any kind of fornication, or impurity, or rapacity so much as be named among you, just as is worthy of the saints, ⁴nor any indecent, or foolish, or abusive talk, for this is without purpose; but instead, give thanks. ⁵For know and understand this: no one who is a fornicator, or lustful, or rapacious (for these are a kind of service to idols) holds an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶Let no one seduce you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God was sent upon the sons of unbelief.

¹⁷So if anyone is a new creature in Christ, what is old has passed away. Behold, all things have been made new.

³⁵Then who will separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation? Or anguish? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or peril? Or persecution? Or the sword? ³⁶For it is as it has been written: “For your sake, we are being put to death all day long. We are being treated like sheep for the slaughter.”

⁴Have you been suffering so much without a reason? If so, then it is in vain.