and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you,

and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to do so more and more.

About this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of God's word. You need milk, not solid food; for every one who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. read more.
But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their sense trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, with instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits. read more.
For it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put him to an open shame. For land which drinks the rain that often falls upon it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed; its end is to be burned. Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that accompany salvation. For God is not so unjust as to forget your work and the love which you have shown for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same diligence in realizing the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and multiply you." And so Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men swear by one greater than themselves, and in all their disputes the oath is final for confirmation.

But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into him, who is the head, into Christ,

so that you will live a life worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

We ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will multiply the harvest of your righteousness.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance, godliness,

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.