for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

For in him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord.

And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality.

praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;

I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts,

and Jesus who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These are my only fellow workers for the Kingdom of God, men who have been a comfort to me.

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

For I testify about him, that he has worked hard for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.

We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers,

and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake.

For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out; so that we do not need to say anything.

For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,

and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead?Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you was not in vain,

For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.

For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),

Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.

For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews;

But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is not it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

For you are our glory and our joy.

that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task.

For truly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know.

For this cause I also, when I could not stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain.

for this cause, brothers, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith.

For now we live, since you stand firm in the Lord.

For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God;

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,

For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,

for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first,

For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.

For when they are saying, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.

For those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunk are drunk in the night.

But let us, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

and to respect and honor them in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good, for one another, and for all.

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.

Brothers, pray for us also.

We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds;

so that we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure.

This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.

and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,

To this end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith, with power;

Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the departure comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.

and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth;

to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you;

and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith.

For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we did not behave ourselves rebelliously among you,

neither did we eat bread from anyone's hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you;

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: "If anyone will not work, neither let him eat."

For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who do not work at all, but are busybodies.

as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers,

for the sexually immoral, for men who have sexual relations with men, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;

However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.

I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings, be made for all men:

for kings and all who are in high places; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and reverence.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

who gave himself as a ransom for all; the testimony in its own times;

For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not devoted to a lot of wine, not greedy for money;

For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.

For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer.

For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.

For to this end we both labor and strive, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

Pay attention to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety towards their own family, and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

But refuse younger widows, for whenever their passions lead them away from Christ, they desire to marry;

I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for reviling.

For already some have turned aside after Satan.

For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain." And, "The laborer is worthy of his wages."

Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.

Be no longer a drinker of water only, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities.

For we brought nothing into the world, so neither can we carry anything out.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of that which is truly life.

For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,

For this, I was appointed as a proclaimer, an apostle, and a teacher.