Give him a welcome in the Lord, then, with your hearts full of joy. Value men like that,

because for the sake of the work he drew near even to death, venturing his life that he might fill up what lacked in your ministration toward me.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

All of us who are mature [pursuing spiritual perfection] should have this attitude. And if in any respect you have a different attitude, that too God will make clear to you.

Brothers and sisters, together follow my example and observe those who live by the pattern we gave you.

from whence also we expect the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ: who will change our vile body,

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Yea, I beseech thee also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Remember me to all my fellow-Christians. The brothers who are with me wish to be remembered to you.

Whenever we pray, we never fail to thank God, the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, about you,

even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,

For this reason we also, from the day we heard of your faith and love, do not cease praying and asking for you, to the end that ye may be filled with the full knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,

so that you might live in a manner worthy of the Lord and be fully pleasing to him as you bear fruit while doing all kinds of good things and growing in the full knowledge of God.

Full of strength in the measure of the great power of his glory, so that you may undergo all troubles with joy;

For God in full measure was pleased to be in him;

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Of which, I, have become minister - according to the administration of God which hath been given unto me to you-ward, to fill up the word of God,

We proclaim Him, warning and instructing everyone in all wisdom [that is, with comprehensive insight into the word and purposes of God], so that we may present every person complete in Christ [mature, fully trained, and perfect in Him—the Anointed].

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

continue therefore to follow the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ, as you have receiv'd it:

and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:

That was all only the shadow of something that was to follow; the reality is found in Christ.

If therefore you died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why do you practice ordinances as living in the world,??21 you shall not touch, you shall not taste, you shall not feel,??22 all which are to perish in the using??ccording to the commandments and instructions of men?

"You must not handle," "You must not taste," "You must not touch"??22 referring to things that are all meant to be used up and destroyed? This is to follow mere human rules and regulations.

(these things all perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men.

Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, vile passions, evil lust, and unbridled desire, which is idolatry.

But now, put off, ye also, all these things, wrath, anger, malice, blasphemy, vile language out of your mouth.

and having put on the new, renewed into full knowledge according to the image of him that has created him;

Let the Message of the Christ dwell in your minds in all its wealth, bringing all wisdom with it. Teach and admonish one another with psalms, and hymns, and sacred songs, full of the loving- kindness of God, lifting your hearts in song to him.

Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or exasperate your children [with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by favoritism or indifference; treat them tenderly with lovingkindness], so they will not lose heart and become discouraged or unmotivated [with their spirits broken].

Let your speech always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.

All my affairs shall Tychicus make known unto you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord:

[He is coming], together with Onesimus our faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. [Note: This could mean either "from your town" or, "a fellow-Christian"]. They will tell you about everything that is happening here.

Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (touching whom ye received commandments; if he come unto you, receive him),

and Jesus that is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, men that have been a comfort unto me.

Salute you doth Epaphras, who is of you, a servant of Christ, always striving for you in the prayers, that ye may stand perfect and made full in all the will of God,

And say to Archippus; Take heed to the ministry which you received in the Lord, that you may fill it.

For we never fail to remember your works of faith and labours of love and your persistent and unwavering hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father;

for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

And you yourselves began to follow, not only our example, but the Master's also; and, in spite of much suffering, you welcomed the Message with a joy inspired by the Holy Spirit,

For you yourselves, brethren, know that our visit to you did not fail of its purpose.

Even so, being full of loving desire for you, we took delight in giving you not only God's good news, but even our lives, because you were dear to us.

nor do we fail of giving thanks to God continually, that, when you received the word of God, which we preach, you did not receive it as the doctrine of men, but as a doctrine that appears to be truly divine, by the influences it displays in you, who believe.

For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same [kind of] persecution from your own countrymen, as they did from the Jews,

Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

So, when we could not stand it any longer [Note: Paul's concern for the spiritual well-being of the Thessalonian Christians became unbearable], we [i.e., I, See verse 5] thought it best to be left behind, alone, at Athens [Note: Paul was willing to labor alone at Athens, so he could send his fellow-workers to minister to others. See Acts 17],

and sent Timotheus, our brother and fellow-workman under God in the glad tidings of Christ, to confirm you and encourage you concerning your faith,

I feel encouraged, brothers, about you, in spite of all my distress and trouble, at your faith,

For how can we thank God enough for you, for all the joy we feel because of you before our God?

and the Lord increase you, and make you flow over in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you,

Finally, believers, we ask and admonish you in the Lord Jesus, that you follow the instruction that you received from us about how you ought to walk and please God (just as you are actually doing) and that you excel even more and more [pursuing a life of purpose and living in a way that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation].

not in the vile passion of lewdness, as the Gentiles which know not God;

to study your own quiet, to mind your own affairs, and follow some handicraft trade, as we recommended it to you:

But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope.

for, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also those who fell asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.

For this we say to You, in a word of the Lord, that we, the living who remain over to the coming of the Lord, shall in nowise precede those who fell asleep;

For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

whilst they flatter themselves with peace and safety, destruction shall fall upon them, like the pangs of a woman in travail, and they shall not escape.

Therefore, let's not fall asleep like others do, but let's stay awake and be sober.

who died for us so that whether we are still alive or fall asleep we may live with him.

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

He who calls you will not fail you; he will complete his work.

and to give relief to you who are so distressed and to us as well when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in a flame of fire,

For which also we pray always for you, that our God would deem you worthy of the calling, and fill all the benevolence of goodness, and work of faith in power:

Then shall the Lawless One be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his lips and quell by his appearing and arrival ??9 that One whose arrival is due to Satan's activity, with the full power, the miracles and portents, of falsehood,

The other's appearance, by the contrivance of Satan, will be full of power and pretended signs and wonders,

and with the full deceitfulness of evil for those who are doomed to perish, since they refuse to love the Truth that would save them.

But the Lord will not fail you; he will give you strength, and guard you from Evil.

Now we command you, believers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by His authority, that you withdraw and keep away from every brother or sister who leads an undisciplined life and does not live in accordance with the tradition and teaching that you have received from us.

For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

and if any one refuses to obey these our written instructions, mark that man and hold no communication with him--so that he may be made to feel ashamed.

knowing this, that a law is not made for a righteous man, but for the wicked and disorderly, the impious and sinful, the unholy and profane, murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers and murderers of their fellow-men,

This is a faithful and trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance and approval, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost.

who doth will all men to be saved, and to come to the full knowledge of the truth;

A woman should learn in silence with full submission.

and it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was led astray and fell into sin.

ruling well his own house, having his children in subjection with all dignity,??5 but if any one knows not how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God???6 not a novice, lest being inflated with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,

and they discourage marriage and enjoin abstinence from certain kinds of food; though God created these foods to be enjoyed thankfully by those who hold the Faith and have attained a full knowledge of the Truth.

These things placing before the brethren, thou shalt be a good ministrant of Jesus Christ, being nourished by the words of the faith, and of the good teaching, which thou didst follow after,

This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance.

Let no one think slightingly of you because you are a young man; but in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, be an example for your fellow Christians to imitate.

Until I arrive, give your full concentration to the public reading of Scripture, to exhorting, and to teaching.

and be well spoken of for her kind actions. She should have brought up children, have shown hospitality to strangers, have washed the feet of her fellow Christians, have relieved those who were in distress, and devoted herself to every kind of good action.

But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married,

For some have already turned away to follow Satan.

Those Officers of the Church who fill their office well should be held deserving of especial consideration, particularly those whose work lies in preaching and teaching.

Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

Those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent the name of God and Christian teaching from being discredited.

Moreover, those who have believing masters should be respectful to them, because they are fellow believers. In fact, they must serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dear to them. These are the things you must teach and exhort.

Anyone who teaches novelties and refuses to fall in with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine that tallies with piety,

he is full of pride and ignorance, touch'd with a spirit of chicanery and wrangling, productive of envy, contention, calumny,

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.