personal growth

¹⁸Yet truly, increase in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory, both now and in the day of eternity. Amen.

¹²For even though it is the time when you ought to be teachers, you are still lacking, so that you must be taught the things that are the basic elements of the Word of God, and so you have been made like those who are in need of milk, and not of solid food. ¹³For anyone who is still feeding on milk is still unskillful in the Word of Justice; for he is like an infant. ¹⁴But solid food is for those who are mature, for those who, by practice, have sharpened their mind, so as to discern good from evil.

¹Therefore, interrupting an explanation of the basics of Christ, let us consider what is more advanced, not presenting again the fundamentals of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

²For through him we also have access by faith to this grace, in which we stand firm, and to glory, in the hope of the glory of the sons of God. ³And not only that, but we also find glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation exercises patience, ⁴and patience leads to proving, yet truly proving leads to hope, ⁵but hope is not unfounded, because the love of God is poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. ⁶Yet why did Christ, while we were still infirm, at the proper time, suffer death for the impious?

¹⁰so that you may walk in a manner worthy of God, being pleasing in all things, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God,

⁶I am confident of this very thing: that he who has begun this good work in you will perfect it, unto the day of Christ Jesus.

⁵Test yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not know whether Christ Jesus is in you? But perhaps you are reprobates. ⁶But I hope you know that we ourselves are not reprobates. ⁷Now we pray to God that you shall do nothing evil, not so that we may seem to be approved, but so that you may do what is good, even if we seem like reprobates.

⁹Then, too, from the day when we first heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and requesting that you be filled with the knowledge of his will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding, ¹⁰so that you may walk in a manner worthy of God, being pleasing in all things, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God,

¹The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, in order to make known to his servants the things that must soon occur, and which he signified by sending his Angel to his servant John;

¹⁵Meditate on these things, so that your progress may be manifest to all.

²⁶But the youth Samuel advanced, and grew up, and he was pleasing to the Lord, as well as to men.

¹⁴And those which fell among thorns are those who have heard it, but as they go along, they are suffocated by the concerns and riches and pleasures of this life, and so they do not yield fruit. ¹⁵But those which were on good soil are those who, upon hearing the word with a good and noble heart, retain it, and they bring forth fruit in patience.

¹¹Instruct and teach these things. ¹²Let no one despise your youth, but be an example among the faithful in word, in behavior, in charity, in faith, in chastity. ¹³Until I arrive, attend to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine. ¹⁴Do not be willing to neglect the grace that is within you, which was given to you through prophecy, with the imposition of the hands of the priesthood. ¹⁵Meditate on these things, so that your progress may be manifest to all.

¹And a reed, similar to a staff, was given to me. And it was said to me: “Rise up and measure the temple of God, and those who are worshiping in it, and the altar. ²But the atrium, which is outside of the temple, set it aside and do not measure it, because it has been given over to the Gentiles. And they shall trample upon the Holy City for forty-two months. ³And I will present my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. ⁴These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands, standing in the sight of the lord of the earth. ⁵And if anyone will want to harm them, fire shall go forth from their mouths, and it shall devour their enemies. And if anyone will want to wound them, so must he be slain. ⁶These have the power to close up the heavens, so that it may not rain during the days of their prophesying. And they have power over the waters, to convert them into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of affliction as often as they will.

²Like newborn infants, desire the milk of reasonableness without guile, so that by this you may increase unto salvation,

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths.

¹¹When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I understood like a child, I thought like a child. But when I became a man, I put aside the things of a child.