This, then, I say, and I testify in the Lord; ye are no more to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind,

They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

But you should not even talk about sexual immorality, or any type of [moral] impurity, or greed. [Note: Possibly "greed" here means "desire for more" of such things]. Such talk is not suitable for saints [i.e., God's holy people].

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

that ye may judge of and approve the things that are more excellent, in order that ye may be pure and without offence for Christ's day,

But I want you to know, brothers, that the things in respect to me have come more for the advancement of the good-news,

And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

The one part preacheth Christ of strife, and not purely, supposing to add more adversity to my bonds.

but the former preach Christ [insincerely] out of selfish ambition [just self-promotion], thinking that they are causing me distress in my imprisonment.

What difference then does it make? In one way or another, whether in pretense or in sincerity, Christ is being preached, and that is the thing that makes me glad; yes, more too, I will continue to be glad of it,

For I know that this shall be turned to me for salvation by your prayer, and the furnishing more of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

But since to live means a longer stay on earth, that implies more labour for me--and not unsuccessful labour; and which I am to choose I cannot tell.

Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

let nothing be in the spirit of strife or vain glory, but, in lowliness of mind, each esteeming the other as more excellent than themselves;

More than this, after he had shone himself in human form, he humbled himself in his obedience even to death; yes, and to death on a cross.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

for there is no one that is so dear to me as he, and no one will more sincerely interest himself in your concerns.

So I hope to send him as soon as I know more about my situation,

I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ,

And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did];

Moreover, I greatly rejoiced in the Lord that now once more your care for me blossomed afresh; though indeed you did take thought in this matter, but you lacked the opportunity of expression.

I know what it is even to be kept low, and I know what it is to have more than enough, - in every way, and in all things, have I been let into the secret - both to be well fed, and to be hungering, both to have more than enough, and to be coming short:

because even in Thessalonica {on more than one occasion} you sent for my need.

But I have received everything in full and more; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. They are the fragrant aroma of an offering, an acceptable sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights.

Unto God and our father be praise forever more. Amen.

All God's people wish to be remembered to you, but more especially the members of the Emperor's household.

[For my hope is] that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in [unselfish] love, so that they may have all the riches that come from the full assurance of understanding [the joy of salvation], resulting in a true [and more intimate] knowledge of the mystery of God, that is, Christ,

having been deeply rooted [in Him] and now being continually built up in Him and [becoming increasingly more] established in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude.

and have put on the new [spiritual] self who is being continually renewed in true knowledge in the image of Him who created the new self—

And more than all, have love; the only way in which you may be completely joined together.

For it was from you that the Lord's Message resounded throughout Macedonia and Greece; and, more than that, your faith in God has become known far and wide; so that there is no need for us to say another word.

But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

because we wanted to come to you--I, Paul, {on more than one occasion}--and Satan hindered us.

Wherefore no more concealing, we were content to be left among the Athenians alone:

For this I also, no more concealing, sent to know your faith, lest some way he tempting have tempted you, and our labor be in vain.

for now we [really] live, if you [continue to] stand firm in [the service of] the Lord [i.e., Paul could enjoy life much more in knowing that the Thessalonians were living for the Lord faithfully].

whilst night and day we make our ardent requests to him, that we may once more be present with you, that nothing may be wanting to the perfection of your faith?

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

and give you exhortation, that ye have them the more in love: For their work's sake, and be at peace with them.

We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is ever greater.

when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day [that is, glorified through the changed lives of those who have accepted Him as Savior and have been set apart for His purpose], and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed and trusted [and confirmed in your lives].

so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you [by what you do], and you in Him, according to the [precious] grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

neither give heed to fables and genealogies, which are endless, and breed doubts, more than Godly edifying which is by faith:

and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

Such are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have given up to Satan, so that they may say no more evil words against God.

but with good deeds, which are [more] appropriate for women who claim to be godly.

These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee more quickly;

But if any man provide not for his own relations, and especially for those more immediately of his own family, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

A widow is to be put on the list [to receive regular assistance] only if she is over sixty years of age, [having been] the wife of one man,

I give you orders before God and Christ Jesus and the angels of God's selection, to keep these orders without giving thought to one side more than another.

The sins of some men are notorious, leading as it were to their condemnation; and some more artful they follow after.

And those who have believing masters should not be wanting in respect towards them because they are their brethren, but should serve them all the more willingly because those who profit by the faithful service rendered are believers and are friends.

he sought for me the more diligently, and found me.

But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

But they will not make any more progress, for their folly will be evident to everybody, as theirs was.

I have nothing more to do, but to receive the crown of virtue reserv'd for me, which the Lord, the just judge, will give me in that day: and not only to me, but to those also, who have long'd for his appearance.

or steal from them. Instead, they are to show complete and perfect loyalty, so that in every way they may make the teaching about God our Savior more attractive.

After a first and second warning reject a divisive man [who promotes heresy and causes dissension—ban him from your fellowship and have nothing more to do with him],

on account of the divine love, I the more exhort you, being such as Paul the aged, and now also the prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Once unprofitable to thee, but now more profitable to thee and to me:

Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

But speaking of the time when He once more brings His Firstborn into the world, He says, "And let all God's angels worship Him."

You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; because of this God, your God, has anointed you with the olive oil of joy more than your companions.

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

And God was a witness with them, by signs and wonders, and by more than natural powers, and by his distribution of the Holy Spirit at his pleasure.

For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

“Therefore I was angered with this generation,
And I said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they did not know My ways [nor become progressively better and more intimately acquainted with them]’;

For, living, is the word of God, and, energetic, and more cutting than any knife with two edges, and penetrating as far as a dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of joints also, and marrow, and able to judge the impulses and designs of the heart;

For certainly enough time has elapsed so that [by now] you ought to be teachers, [but instead] you are in need of having someone teach you again the basic principles of God's message. You have become people who need "milk" and not "solid food." [Note: The fundamental truths of Christianity are here figuratively spoken of as "milk," while the more advanced teaching, such as Christ's priesthood being like Melchizedek's, is called "solid food"].

Wherefore, let us leave the doctrine pertaining to the beginning of a Christian man, and let us go unto perfection, and now no more lay the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

And we will do so [i.e., go on to more advanced teaching] if God allows us to. For it is impossible to get people who have [completely] fallen away [from God] to repent again, because they [continue to] crucify for themselves God's Son all over again, and hold Him up to contempt.

But though we speak in this manner, my dear brethren, we expect better things of you, and such as are more suitable to your salvation.

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

Now without any dispute the inferior is blessed by the more prominent.

And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

And so [because of the oath’s greater strength and force] Jesus has become the certain guarantee of a better covenant [a more excellent and more advantageous agreement; one that will never be replaced or annulled].

And of course those who have become priests are more, because of being prevented to continue by death,

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

And they shall no more teach every man his neighbour, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me from the mean man of them unto the great among them.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

It was needful therefore that the copies of the things in Heaven should be cleansed in this way, but that the heavenly things themselves should be cleansed with more costly sacrifices.

For the law being only an allusion to a future dispensation that was more excellent, and not an exact imitation of such a state, cannot by the anniversary sacrifices, which are offered, entirely purify those that present themselves.

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

And we should consider how we can stir up one another to love [more] and to perform good deeds.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

How much more severe a punishment do you think that person deserves who tramples on God's Son, treats as common the blood of the covenant by which it was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace?

For you not only showed sympathy with those who were imprisoned, but you even submitted with joy when your property was taken from you, being well aware that you have in your own selves a more valuable possession and one which will remain.