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13 My fellow believers, I certainly do not consider that I have already become completely like Christ. But I am like a runner. A runner does not look backward [MET]. Instead, he leans/stretches forward as he runs straight toward the goal in order that he might win the race and get the prize. Similarly, I do not think about what I have already done. 14 Instead, I concentrate only on continuing to become more and more like Christ right up to the end of my life [MET]. As a result, because of my relationship with Christ Jesus, God will call/summon me to receive a reward from him in heaven.

Since you desire to be perfected and since you have my example of not considering that I am already perfect, but of constantly striving to become more and more like Christ, follow my example.

12 I do not claim that I have already become completely like Christ Jesus; that is, I have not already become all that God intends me to be [DOU]. But I earnestly try to become more and more like Christ, because he chose me in order that I might become like him. 13 My fellow believers, I certainly do not consider that I have already become completely like Christ. But I am like a runner. A runner does not look backward [MET]. Instead, he leans/stretches forward as he runs straight toward the goal in order that he might win the race and get the prize. Similarly, I do not think about what I have already done. 14 Instead, I concentrate only on continuing to become more and more like Christ right up to the end of my life [MET]. As a result, because of my relationship with Christ Jesus, God will call/summon me to receive a reward from him in heaven. 15 So, all of us who are spiritually mature should think this same way. If any of you do not think this same way regarding what I have written here, God will reveal that to you.

17 The fact is that God makes every one of us who trusts in Christ to be completely different than we were before. Our old way of conducting our lives is gone. We now have a completely new way of conducting our lives.

God has done great things for you. Although you are now enduring trials to test your faith, you are rejoicing about your salvation. That salvation is something that the prophets who lived long ago did not fully understand.

3 Praise God, who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because he has been very merciful to us, he has given us new life [MET]. Because he has caused Jesus Christ to become alive again after he died, he has enabled us to live very confidently; that is, to fully expect to receive the things that God/he has promised to give us.

10 O God, cause my inner being to be pure.

Put new thoughts within me and make me faithful again.

11 Do not send me away from you because of my sin,

and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

7 Be quiet in Yahweh’s presence, and wait patiently for him to do what you want him to do.

Do not be bothered/upset when what evil men do is successful,

when they are able to do the wicked things that they plan.

8 Find out for yourself, and you will experience that Yahweh is good to you!

He is very pleased with those who ask him to protect them.

31 But those who trust in Yahweh will become strong again;

it will be as though they will soar/fly high like [SIM] eagles do.

They will run for a long time and not become weary;

they will walk long distances and not faint.

11 I, Yahweh, know what I have planned for you. I am planning to cause things to go well for you, not to cause you to experience disasters. I am planning to give you many things that you confidently expect to receive in the future.

25 It will be as though [MET] I will sprinkle clean water on you, and then you will be clean. I will cause you to be cleansed from everything that has defiled you, and I will cause you to stop worshiping idols. 26 I will give you a completely new way of thinking [IDM]. I will enable you to stop being stubborn [IDM], and I will enable you to obey me from your inner beings [IDM]. 27 I will put my Spirit within you and enable you to carefully obey all my laws [DOU].

14 And what is more important than all of these is that you love one another, because by doing that you will be perfectly united together.

Continue to be at peace with one another, be constantly thanking God, and continue getting to know thoroughly the message about Christ.

15 Because God chose you to live peacefully with one another in your local congregations, let that peace which Christ gives control your ◄inner beings/hearts►, and be constantly thanking God.

11 God has appointed a time that is right/correct for everything to happen. He has also caused people to realize that there are things that will endure forever. But in spite of that, no one can completely understand everything that God has done, from the time that he starts doing things until he finishes them.

10 Our natural fathers disciplined us for a short time in a way that they considered right, but it wasn’t always right, but God always disciplines us in a right way, to help us. He does it so that we may be holy as he is. 11 During the time that God is disciplining us, that does not seem to be something about which we should rejoice. Instead, it is something that pains us. But later it causes those who have learned from it to be peaceful and to live righteously.

You should not boast about what you will do in the future, because life is transitory. Instead, you should plan to do whatever God wants you to do, because boasting about what you want to do, rather than considering the will of God, is sinful.

13 Some of you are arrogantly saying, "Today or tomorrow we will go to a certain city. We will spend a year there and we will buy and sell things and earn a lot of money." Now, you listen to me! 14 You should not talk like that, because you do not know what will happen tomorrow, and you do not know how long you will live! Your life is short [MET], like a mist that appears for a short time and then disappears. 15 Instead of what you are saying, you should say, "If the Lord wills/desires, we will live and do this or that." 16 But what you are doing is boasting about all the things that you arrogantly plan to do. Your boasting like that is evil.

17 So if anyone knows the right thing that he should do, but he does not do it, he is sinning.