No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment
and puts it on an old one;
otherwise he will both tear the new,
and the piece from the new will not match the old.

“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations!
I will be exalted in the earth.”

For I was greatly pleased when [some of the] brothers came [from time to time] and testified to your [faithfulness to the] truth [of the gospel message], that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my [spiritual] children are living [their lives] in the truth.

I was greatly delighted
to find some of your children walking in truth,
just as we have been commanded by the Father.

Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God,
‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked,
but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.
Turn back (change your way of thinking),
turn back [in repentance] from your evil ways!
For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

But you are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a consecrated nation,
a [special] people
for God’s own possession,
so that you may proclaim the excellencies
[the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections]
of Him who called you out of darkness into
His marvelous light.

So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves
but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you
by those who have preached the gospel to you
by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
Even angels long to look into these things.

You have come to God,
the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men
made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant,
and to the sprinkled blood
that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.