In the Field Audio Scriptures

1 Correct an older man in a way that shows respect. Make an appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as if they were your brothers. Treat older women as if they were your mothers.

2 Treat younger women as if they were your sisters. Be completely pure in the way you treat them.

3 Take care of the widows who really need help.

4 But suppose a widow has children or grandchildren. They should first learn to put their faith into practice. They should care for their own family. In that way they will pay back their parents and grandparents. That pleases God.

5 A widow who really needs help and is left all alone puts her hope in God. Night and day she keeps on praying. Night and day she asks God for help.

6 But a widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still living.

7 Give these instructions to the people. Then no one can be blamed.

8 Everyone should provide for their own relatives. Most of all, everyone should take care of their own family. If they don’t, they have left the faith. They are worse than someone who doesn’t believe.

9 No widow should be put on the list of widows unless she is more than 60 years old. She must also have been faithful to her husband.

10 She must be well known for the good things she does. That includes bringing up children. It includes inviting guests into her home. It includes washing the feet of the Lord’s people. It includes helping those who are in trouble. A widow should spend her time doing all kinds of good things.

11 Don’t put younger widows on that kind of list. They might want pleasure more than they want Christ. Then they would want to get married again.

12 If they do that, they will be judged. They have broken their first promise.

13 Besides, they get into the habit of having nothing to do. They go around from house to house. They waste their time. They also bother other people and say things that make no sense. They shouldn’t say those things.

14 So here is the advice I give to younger widows. Get married. Have children. Take care of your own homes. Don’t give the enemy the chance to tell lies about you.

15 In fact, some have already turned away to follow Satan.

16 Suppose a woman is a believer and takes care of widows. She should continue to help them. She shouldn’t let the church pay the expenses. Then the church can help the widows who really need it.

17 The elders who do the church’s work well are worth twice as much honor. That is true in a special way of elders who preach and teach.

18 Scripture says, “Do not stop an ox from eating while it helps separate the grain from the straw.” (Deuteronomy 25:4) Scripture also says, “Workers are worthy of their pay.” (Luke 10:7)

19 Don’t believe a charge against an elder unless two or three witnesses bring it.

20 But those elders who are sinning should be corrected in front of everyone. This will be a warning to the others.

21 I command you to follow these instructions. I command you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels. Treat everyone the same. Don’t favor one person over another.

22 Don’t be too quick to place your hands on others to set them apart to serve God. Don’t take part in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

23 Stop drinking only water. If your stomach is upset, drink a little wine. It can also help the other sicknesses you often have.

24 The sins of some people are easy to see. They are already being judged. Others will be judged later.

25 In the same way, good works are easy to see. But even good works that are hard to see can’t stay hidden forever.

1 All who are forced to serve as slaves should consider their masters worthy of full respect. Then people will not speak evil things against God’s name and against what we teach.

2 Some slaves have masters who are believers. They shouldn’t show their masters disrespect just because they are also believers. Instead, they should serve them even better. That’s because their masters are loved by them as believers. These masters are committed to caring for their slaves. These are the things you are to teach. Try hard to get the believers to do them.

3 Suppose someone teaches something different than I have taught. Suppose that person doesn’t agree with the true teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. Suppose they don’t agree with godly teaching.

4 Then that person is proud and doesn’t understand anything. They like to argue more than they should. They can’t agree about what words mean. All of this results in wanting what others have. It causes fighting, harmful talk, and evil distrust.

5 It stirs up trouble all the time among people whose minds are twisted by sin. The truth they once had has been taken away from them. They think they can get rich by being godly.

6 You gain a lot when you live a godly life. But you must be happy with what you have.

7 We didn’t bring anything into the world. We can’t take anything out of it.

8 If we have food and clothing, we will be happy with that.

9 People who want to get rich are tempted. They fall into a trap. They are tripped up by wanting many foolish and harmful things. Those who live like that are dragged down by what they do. They are destroyed and die.

10 Love for money causes all kinds of evil. Some people want to get rich. They have wandered away from the faith. They have wounded themselves with many sorrows.

11 But you are a man of God. Run away from all these things. Try hard to do what is right and godly. Have faith, love and gentleness. Hold on to what you believe.

12 Fight the good fight along with all other believers. Take hold of eternal life. You were chosen for it when you openly told others what you believe. Many witnesses heard you.

13 God gives life to everything. Christ Jesus told the truth when he was a witness in front of Pontius Pilate. In the sight of God and Christ, I give you a command.

14 Obey it until our Lord Jesus Christ appears. Obey it completely. Then no one can find fault with it or you.

15 God will bring Jesus back at a time that pleases him. God is the blessed and only Ruler. He is the greatest King of all. He is the most powerful Lord of all.

16 God is the only one who can’t die. He lives in light that no one can get close to. No one has seen him. No one can see him. Honor and power belong to him forever. Amen.

17 Command people who are rich in this world not to be proud. Tell them not to put their hope in riches. Wealth is so uncertain. Command those who are rich to put their hope in God. He richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

18 Command the rich to do what is good. Tell them to be rich in doing good things. They must give freely. They must be willing to share.

19 In this way, they will store up true riches for themselves. It will provide a firm basis for the next life. Then they will take hold of the life that really is life.

20 Timothy, guard what God has trusted you with. Turn away from godless chatter. Stay away from opposing ideas that are falsely called knowledge.

21 Some people believe them. By doing that they have turned away from the faith. May God’s grace be with you all.

1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. He sent me to tell about the promise of life found in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy, I am sending you this letter. You are my dear son. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy and peace.

3 I thank God, whom I serve as did our people of long ago. I serve God, knowing that what I have done is right. Night and day I thank God for you. Night and day I always remember you in my prayers.

4 I remember your tears. I long to see you so that I can be filled with joy.

5 I remember your honest and true faith. It was alive first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice. And I am certain that it is now alive in you also.

6 This is why I remind you to help God’s gift grow, just as a small spark grows into a fire. God put his gift in you when I placed my hands on you.

7 God gave us his Spirit. And the Spirit doesn’t make us weak and fearful. Instead, the Spirit gives us power and love. He helps us control ourselves.

8 So don’t be ashamed of the message about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, his prisoner. Instead, join with me as I suffer for the good news. God’s power will help us do that.

9 God has saved us. He has chosen us to live a holy life. It wasn’t because of anything we have done.

10 It was because of his own purpose and grace. Through Christ Jesus, God gave us this grace even before time began. It has now been made known through the coming of our Savior, Christ Jesus. He has broken the power of death. Because of the good news, he has brought life out into the light. That life never dies.

11 I was appointed to announce the good news. I was appointed to be an apostle and a teacher.

12 That’s why I’m suffering the way I am. But this gives me no reason to be ashamed. That’s because I know who I have believed in. I am sure he is able to take care of what I have given him. I can trust him with it until the day he returns as judge.

13 Follow what you heard from me as the pattern of true teaching. Follow it with faith and love because you belong to Christ Jesus.

14 Guard the truth of the good news that you were trusted with. Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

15 You know that all the believers in Asia Minor have deserted me. They include Phygelus and Hermogenes.

16 May the Lord show mercy to all who live in the house of Onesiphorus. He often encouraged me. He was not ashamed that I was being held by chains.

17 In fact, it was just the opposite. When he was in Rome, he looked everywhere for me. At last he found me.

18 May Onesiphorus find mercy from the Lord on the day Jesus returns as judge! You know very well how many ways Onesiphorus helped me in Ephesus.

1 My son, be strong in the grace that is yours in Christ Jesus.

2 You have heard me teach in front of many witnesses. Pass on to people you can trust the things you’ve heard me say. Then they will be able to teach others also.

3 Like a good soldier of Christ Jesus, join with me in suffering.

4 A soldier does not take part in things that don’t have anything to do with the army. Instead, he tries to please his commanding officer.

5 It is the same for anyone who takes part in a sport. They don’t receive the winner’s crown unless they play by the rules.

6 The farmer who works hard should be the first to receive a share of the crops.

7 Think about what I’m saying. The Lord will help you understand what all of it means.

8 Remember Jesus Christ. He came from David’s family line. He was raised from the dead. That is my good news.

9 I am suffering for it. I have even been put in chains like someone who has committed a crime. But God’s word is not held back by chains.

10 So I put up with everything for the good of God’s chosen people. Then they also can be saved. Christ Jesus saves them. He gives them glory that will last forever.

11 Here is a saying you can trust.

If we died with him,   we will also live with him.

12 If we don’t give up,   we will also rule with him. If we say we don’t know him,   he will also say he doesn’t know us.

13 Even if we are not faithful,   he remains faithful.   He must be true to himself.

14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. While God is watching, warn them not to argue about words. That doesn’t have any value. It only destroys those who listen.

15 Do your best to please God. Be a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed. Teach the message of truth correctly.

16 Stay away from godless chatter. Those who take part in it will become more and more ungodly.

17 Their teaching will spread like a deadly sickness. Hymenaeus and Philetus are two of those teachers.

18 They have turned away from the truth. They say that the time when people will rise from the dead has already come. They destroy the faith of some people.

19 But God’s solid foundation stands firm. Here is the message written on it. “The Lord knows who his own people are.” (Numbers 16:5) Also, “All who say they believe in the Lord must turn away from evil.”

20 In a large house there are things made out of gold and silver. But there are also things made out of wood and clay. Some have special purposes. Others have common purposes.

21 Suppose someone stays away from what is common. Then the Master will be able to use them for special purposes. They will be made holy. They will be ready to do any good work.

22 Run away from the evil things that young people long for. Try hard to do what is right. Have faith, love and peace. Do these things together with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

23 Don’t have anything to do with arguing. It is dumb and foolish. You know it only leads to fights.

24 Anyone who serves the Lord must not be hard to get along with. Instead, they must be kind to everyone. They must be able to teach. The one who serves must not hold anything against anyone.

25 They must gently teach those who are against them. Maybe God will give a change of heart to those who are against you. That will lead them to know the truth.

26 Maybe they will come to their senses. Maybe they will escape the devil’s trap. He has taken them as prisoners to do what he wanted.

1 Here is what I want you to know. There will be terrible times in the last days.

2 People will love themselves. They will love money. They will brag and be proud. They will tear others down. They will not obey their parents. They won’t be thankful or holy.

3 They won’t love others. They won’t forgive others. They will tell lies about people. They will be out of control. They will be wild. They will hate what is good.

4 They will turn against their friends. They will act without thinking. They will think they are better than others. They will love what pleases them instead of loving God.

5 They will act as if they were serving God. But what they do will show that they have turned their backs on God’s power. Have nothing to do with these people.

6 They are the kind who trick their way into the homes of some women. These women are ready to believe anything. And they take control over these women. These women are loaded down with sins. They give in to all kinds of evil desires.

7 They are always learning. But they are never able to come to know the truth.

8 Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. In the same way, the teachers I’m talking about oppose the truth. Their minds are twisted. As far as the faith is concerned, God doesn’t accept them.

9 They won’t get very far. Just like Jannes and Jambres, their foolish ways will be clear to everyone.

10 But you know all about my teaching. You know how I live and what I live for. You know about my faith and love. You know how patient I am. You know I haven’t given up.

11 You know that I was treated badly. You know that I suffered greatly. You know what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. You know how badly I have been treated. But the Lord saved me from all my troubles.

12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be treated badly.

13 Evil people and pretenders will go from bad to worse. They will fool others, and others will fool them.

14 But I want you to continue to follow what you have learned and are sure about. You know the people you learned it from.

15 You have known the Holy Scriptures ever since you were a little child. They are able to teach you how to be saved by believing in Christ Jesus.

16 God has breathed life into all Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right.

17 By using Scripture, the servant of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing.

1 I give you a command in the sight of God and Christ Jesus. Christ will judge the living and the dead. Because he and his kingdom are coming, here is the command I give you. 

2 Preach the word. Be ready to serve God in good times and bad. Correct people’s mistakes. Warn them. Encourage them with words of hope. Be very patient as you do these things. Teach them carefully. 

3 The time will come when people won’t put up with true teaching. Instead, they will try to satisfy their own desires. They will gather a large number of teachers around them. The teachers will say what the people want to hear. 

4 The people will turn their ears away from the truth. They will turn to stories that aren’t true. 

5 But I want you to keep your head no matter what happens. Don’t give up when times are hard. Work to spread the good news. Do everything God has given you to do.

6 I am already being poured out like a drink offering. The time when I will leave is near. 

7 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. 

8 Now there is a crown waiting for me. It is given to those who are right with God. The Lord, who judges fairly, will give it to me on the day he returns. He will not give it only to me. He will also give it to all those who are longing for him to return.

9 Do your best to come to me quickly. 

10 Demas has deserted me. He has gone to Thessalonica. He left me because he loved this world. Crescens has gone to Galatia. Titus has gone to Dalmatia. 

11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you. He helps me in my work for the Lord. 

12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 

13 When you come, bring my coat. I left it with Carpus at Troas. Also bring my books. Most of all, bring the ones made out of animal skins.

14 Remember Alexander, the one who works with metal. He did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will pay him back for what he has done. 

15 You too should watch out for him. He strongly opposed our message.

16 The first time I was put on trial, no one came to help me. Everyone deserted me. I hope they will be forgiven for it. 

17 The Lord stood at my side. He gave me the strength to preach the whole message. Then all the Gentiles heard it. I was saved from the lion’s mouth. 

18 The Lord will save me from every evil attack. He will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Give him glory for ever and ever. Amen.

19 Greet Priscilla and Aquila. Greet those who live in the house of Onesiphorus.

20 Erastus stayed in Corinth. I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. 

21 Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you. So do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.

22 May the Lord be with your spirit. May God’s grace be with you all.

1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. I serve God, and I am an apostle of Jesus Christ. God sent me to help his chosen people believe in Christ more and more. God sent me to help them understand even more the truth that leads to godly living.

2 That belief and understanding lead to the hope of eternal life. Before time began, God promised to give that life. And he does not lie.

3 Now, at just the right time, he has made his promise clear. He did this through the preaching that he trusted me with. God our Savior has commanded all these things.

4 Titus, I am sending you this letter. You are my true son in the faith we share. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.

5 I left you on the island of Crete. I did this because there were some things that hadn’t been finished. I wanted you to put them in order. I also wanted you to appoint elders in every town. I told you how to do it.

6 An elder must be without blame. He must be faithful to his wife. His children must be believers. They must not give anyone a reason to say that they are wild and don’t obey.

7 A church leader takes care of God’s family. That’s why he must be without blame. He must not look after only his own interests. He must not get angry easily. He must not get drunk. He must not push people around. He must not try to get money by cheating people.

8 Instead, a church leader must welcome people into his home. He must love what is good. He must control his mind and feelings. He must do what is right. He must be holy. He must control the desires of his body.

9 The message as it has been taught can be trusted. He must hold firmly to it. Then he will be able to use true teaching to comfort others and build them up. He will be able to prove that people who oppose it are wrong.

10 Many people refuse to obey God. All they do is talk about things that mean nothing. They try to fool others. No one does these things more than the circumcision group.

11 They must be stopped. They are making trouble for entire families. They do this by teaching things they shouldn’t. They do these things to cheat people.

12 One of Crete’s own prophets has a saying. He says, “People from Crete are always liars. They are evil beasts. They don’t want to work. They live only to eat.”

13 This saying is true. So give a strong warning to people who refuse to obey God. Then they will understand the faith correctly.

14 Then they will pay no attention to Jewish stories that aren’t true. They won’t listen to the mere human commands of people who turn away from the truth.

15 To people who are pure, all things are pure. But to those who have twisted minds and don’t believe, nothing is pure. In fact, their minds and their sense of what is right and wrong are twisted.

16 They claim to know God. But their actions show they don’t know him. They are hated by God. They refuse to obey him. They aren’t fit to do anything good.

1 But what you teach must agree with true teaching.

2 Tell the older men that in anything they do, they must not go too far. They must be worthy of respect. They must control themselves. They must have true faith. They must love others. They must not give up.

3 In the same way, teach the older women to lead a holy life. They must not tell lies about others. They must not let wine control them. Instead, they must teach what is good.

4 Then they can advise the younger women to love their husbands and children.

5 The younger women must control themselves and be pure. They must take good care of their homes. They must be kind. They must follow the lead of their husbands. Then no one will be able to speak evil things against God’s word.

6 In the same way, help the young men to control themselves.

7 Do what is good. Set an example for them in everything. When you teach, be honest and serious.

8 No one can question the truth. So teach what is true. Then those who oppose you will be ashamed. That’s because they will have nothing bad to say about us.

9 Teach slaves to obey their masters in everything they do. Tell them to try to please their masters. They must not talk back to them.

10 They must not steal from them. Instead, they must show that they can be trusted completely. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior appealing in every way.

11 God’s grace has now appeared. By his grace, God offers to save all people.

12 His grace teaches us to say no to godless ways and sinful desires. We must control ourselves. We must do what is right. We must lead godly lives in today’s world.

13 That’s how we should live as we wait for the blessed hope God has given us. We are waiting for Jesus Christ to appear in his glory. He is our great God and Savior.

14 He gave himself for us. By doing that, he set us free from all evil. He wanted to make us pure. He wanted us to be his very own people. He wanted us to desire to do what is good.

15 These are the things you should teach. Encourage people and give them hope. Correct them with full authority. Don’t let anyone look down on you.

1 Remind God’s people to obey rulers and authorities. Remind them to be ready to do what is good.

2 Tell them not to speak evil things against anyone. Remind them to live in peace. They must consider the needs of others. They must always be gentle toward everyone.

3 At one time we too acted like fools. We didn’t obey God. We were tricked. We were controlled by all kinds of desires and pleasures. We were full of evil. We wanted what belongs to others. People hated us, and we hated one another.

4 But the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared.

5 He saved us. It wasn’t because of the good things we had done. It was because of his mercy. He saved us by washing away our sins. We were born again. The Holy Spirit gave us new life.

6 God poured out the Spirit on us freely. That’s because of what Jesus Christ our Savior has done.

7 His grace made us right with God. So now we have received the hope of eternal life as God’s children.

8 You can trust this saying. These things are important. Treat them that way. Then those who trust in God will be careful to commit themselves to doing good. These things are excellent. They are for the good of everyone.

9 But keep away from foolish disagreements. Don’t argue about family histories. Don’t make trouble. Don’t fight about what the law teaches. Don’t argue about things like that. It doesn’t do any good. It doesn’t help anyone.

10 Warn anyone who tries to get believers to separate from one another. Warn that person more than once. After that, have nothing to do with them.

11 You can be sure that people like this are twisted and sinful. Their own actions judge them.

12 I will send Artemas or Tychicus to you. Then do your best to come to me at Nicopolis. I’ve decided to spend the winter there.

13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos. Send them on their way. See that they have everything they need.

14 Our people must learn to commit themselves to doing what is good. Then they can provide for people when they are in great need. If they do that, their lives won’t turn out to be useless.

15 Everyone who is with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. May God’s grace be with you all.

Jude and James were brothers of Jesus. James was a leader in the church in Jerusalem. He was the writer of the book of James. Jude also had authority as a leader in the church. Jude most likely wrote this letter to Jewish believers. This letter would have special meaning for these believers. That’s because it talks about Israel’s history and about angels. And it talks about other writings that would have meaning for them.

Jude speaks about the problem of false teachers in the church. They are teaching against the true faith. These false teachers claim they have had inspired dreams. They reject the authority of the church leaders. And they use their bodies in unholy ways. These false teachers claim that they are bringing God’s message. But they don’t show that they have the spirit of God in them. They live following their own ungodly desires. Jude warns the believers to actively resist these false teachers. He tells them to clean out their community by saying no to these false teachings.

It seems that the apostle Peter received a copy of Jude’s letter. Peter then wrote a letter of his own. Peter’s letter supported what Jude had said. It stated that Jude had faithfully presented the teachings of Jesus’ own apostles.