Since the righteous ordinances of God toward you are great and rich, I rejoice over your blessed and glorious spirits beyond measure and exceedingly; so deeply have you received the implanted grace of the spiritual gift.
Therefore I rejoice with myself all the more, hoping to be saved; for truly I see the Spirit poured out upon you from the rich fountain of the Lord. So greatly has the sight of you, which I have longed for, amazed me concerning you.
Being persuaded of this, then, and conscious within myself that, having spoken many things among you, I know that the Lord journeyed with me on the way of righteousness, I too am wholly compelled to this: to love you above my own life, because great faith and love dwell in you in the hope of His life.
Considering this, then, that if I take care to impart to you some portion of what I received, it will be to me as a reward for having ministered to such spirits, I have been eager to send to you a little, that together with your faith you may have perfect knowledge.
There are, then, three decrees of the Lord: the hope of life, the beginning and end of our faith; and righteousness, the beginning and end of judgment; and love, the testimony of gladness and exultation in works of righteousness.
For the Master made known to us through the prophets the things past and present, and giving us the firstfruits of a foretaste of things to come; seeing these things being fulfilled one by one, just as He spoke, we ought to make a richer and loftier offering to the fear of Him.