What the Bible Says About the Meaning of a Righteous Person

Scripture

⁹ These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.
¹⁰ These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.
¹¹ Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.
¹² And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
¹³ And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
¹⁴ Make yourself an ark of gopher wood.
¹⁵ This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
¹⁶ Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.
¹⁷ For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.
¹⁸ But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
¹⁹ And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.
²⁰ Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive.
²¹ And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself, and it shall be food for you and for them.
²² Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

Genesis 6:9-22

Psalm 1:1-6: ¹ Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
² but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
³ He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
⁴ The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
⁶ For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 15:1-5: ¹ O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
² He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;
³ He does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
⁴ who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
⁵ Who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 37:16-29: ¹⁶ Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.
¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.
¹⁸ The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever.
¹⁹ They are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.
²⁰ But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
²¹ The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.
²² For those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
²³ The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;
²⁴ Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.
²⁵ I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
²⁶ They are ever generous and lend, and their children become a blessing.
²⁷ Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.
²⁸ For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
²⁹ The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.

Proverbs 10:1-32: ¹ A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
² Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.
³ The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
⁴ A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
⁵ He who gathers in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
⁶ Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
⁷ The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
⁸ The wise of heart will receive commandments,
but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
⁹ Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.
¹⁰ Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
¹² Hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers all offenses.
¹³ On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.
¹⁴ Wise men lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
¹⁵ A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
¹⁶ The wage of the righteous leads to life,
the gain of the wicked to sin.
¹⁷ Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,
but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
¹⁸ The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.
¹⁹ When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
²² The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
²³ Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
²⁴ What the wicked dreads will come upon him,
but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
²⁵ When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
but the righteous is established forever.
²⁶ Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
but the years of the wicked will be short.
²⁸ The hope of the righteous brings joy,
but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
²⁹ The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
but destruction to evildoers.
³⁰ The righteous will never be removed,
but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
³¹ The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
³² The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.

Proverbs 11:1-31: ¹ A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but a just weight is his delight.
² When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.
³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
⁴ Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
⁵ The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,
but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
⁶ The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
⁷ When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.
⁸ The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead.
⁹ With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
¹⁰ When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of gladness.
¹¹ By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.
¹² Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
but a man of understanding remains silent.
¹³ Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
¹⁴ Where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
¹⁵ Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
¹⁶ A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches.
¹⁷ A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.
¹⁸ The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
¹⁹ Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,
but he who pursues evil will die.
²⁰ Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord,
but those of blameless ways are his delight.
²¹ Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished,
but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
²⁴ One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
²⁵ Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered.
²⁶ The people curse him who holds back grain,
but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.
²⁷ Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,
but evil comes to him who searches for it.
²⁸ Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
²⁹ Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.
³¹ If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!

Proverbs 12:1-28: ¹ Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
² A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
but a man of evil devices he condemns.
³ No one is established by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
⁴ An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
⁵ The thoughts of the righteous are just;
the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
⁶ The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the mouth of the upright delivers them.
⁷ The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous will stand.
⁸ A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised.
⁹ Better to be lowly and have a servant
than to play the great man and lack bread.
¹⁰ Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
¹¹ Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
¹² Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
¹³ An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
but the righteous escapes from trouble.
¹⁴ From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good,
and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.
¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice.
¹⁶ The vexation of a fool is known at once,
but the prudent ignores an insult.
¹⁷ Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.
¹⁸ There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
¹⁹ Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
²⁰ Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
but those who plan peace have joy.
²¹ No ill befalls the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
²² Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
²³ A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly.
²⁴ The hand of the diligent will rule,
while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
²⁵ Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
²⁶ One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
²⁷ Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,
but the diligent man will get precious wealth.
²⁸ In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.

Proverbs 21:1-31: ¹ The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
² Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
³ To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
⁵ The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
⁶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
⁷ The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.
⁸ The way of the guilty is crooked, but the conduct of the pure is upright.
⁹ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
¹⁰ The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
¹¹ When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
¹² The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked; he throws the wicked down to ruin.
¹³ Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
¹⁴ A gift in secret averts anger,
and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.
¹⁵ When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
¹⁶ One who wanders from the way of good sense will rest in the assembly of the dead.
¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
and the traitor for the upright.
¹⁹ It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
²⁰ Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.
²¹ Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
²² A wise man scales the city of the mighty
and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
²³ Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
²⁴ “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.
²⁵ The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
²⁶ All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent.
²⁸ A false witness will perish,
but a careful listener will testify successfully.
²⁹ A wicked man puts on a bold face,
but the upright gives thought to his ways.
³⁰ No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.
³¹ The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.

Isaiah 33:15-16: ¹⁵ He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
who despises the gain of oppressions,
who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe,
who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed
and shuts his eyes from looking on evil,
¹⁶ he will dwell on the heights;
his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks;
his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.

Isaiah 56:1-8: ¹ Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.
² Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
³ Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
⁴ For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant,
⁵ I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.
⁶ “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—”
⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”
⁸ The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”

Ezekiel 18:5-9: ⁵ “If a man is righteous and does what is just and right—
⁶ if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity,
⁷ does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,
⁸ does not lend at interest or take any profit, withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man,
⁹ “if he walks in my statutes and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord God.”

Matthew 5:1-12: ¹ Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
¹¹ “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 25:31-46: ³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.
³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
³⁸ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?
⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.
⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’
⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Luke 18:9-14: ⁹ He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:
¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.”
¹¹ The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’
¹³ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Romans 3:21-26: ²¹ But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—
²² the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 5:1-11: ¹ Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
² Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
³ Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
⁶ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
⁷ For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
⁸ but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
⁹ Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
¹¹ More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 6:15-23: ¹⁵ What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,
¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
¹⁹ I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
²¹ But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:1-17: ¹ There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
² For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
³ For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
⁶ For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
⁷ For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
⁸ Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
⁹ You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
¹¹ If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
¹² So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
¹³ For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
¹⁶ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11: ⁹ Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
¹⁰ nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21: ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Galatians 5:16-26: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
¹⁷ For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
²¹ envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Ephesians 4:17-32: ¹⁷ Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
¹⁹ They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
²⁰ But that is not the way you learned Christ! – Ephesians 4:20 (ESV)
²¹ assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
²² to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
²³ and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
²⁴ and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
²⁵ Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
²⁶ Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
²⁷ and give no opportunity to the devil.
²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
³¹ Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
³² Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Philippians 3:7-14: ⁷ But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:1-17: ¹ If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
⁴ When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
⁵ Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
⁶ On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
⁷ In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.
⁸ But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
⁹ Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.
¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
¹¹ Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
¹² Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
¹⁴ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1 Timothy 6:11-16: ¹¹ But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
¹³ I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,
¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
¹⁵ which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
¹⁶ who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

2 Timothy 2:22-26: ²² So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.
²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,
²⁵ correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,
²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Titus 2:11-14: ¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
¹² training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
¹³ waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Hebrews 11:1-40: ¹ Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
² For by it the people of old received their commendation.
³ By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
⁴ By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.
⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
⁷ By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
⁸ By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
⁹ By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
¹⁰ For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
¹¹ By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
¹⁴ For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
¹⁵ If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.
¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,
¹⁸ of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
¹⁹ He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
²⁰ By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
²² By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
²³ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
²⁵ choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
²⁶ He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
²⁹ By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
³¹ By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
³² And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—
³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
³⁴ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
³⁵ Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
³⁶ Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated.
³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
³⁹ And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
⁴⁰ since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

James 2:14-26: ¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
¹⁵ If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
¹⁷ So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
¹⁹ You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.
²⁰ Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
²² You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;
²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
²⁴ You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
²⁵ And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
²⁶ For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

1 Peter 2:1-12: ¹ So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
² Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
⁴ As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
⁵ you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
⁶ For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
⁷ So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
⁸ and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
⁹ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
¹¹ Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
¹² Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

1 John 3:1-10: ¹ See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
² Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
³ And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
⁴ Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
⁵ You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
⁶ No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
⁷ Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
⁸ Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
¹⁰ By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.