But now, through your union with Christ Jesus, you who once were 'far off' have, by the shedding of the blood of the Christ, been brought 'near.'

And in his human nature put an end to the cause of enmity between them--the Law with its injunctions and ordinances--in order to create, through union with himself, from Jew and Gentile, one New Man and thus make peace.

For it is through him that we, the Jews and the Gentiles, united in the one Spirit, are now able to approach the Father.

It follows, then, that you are no longer strangers and aliens, but are fellow-citizens with Christ's People and members of God's Household.

In former generations it was not made known to mankind, as fully as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles and Prophets among Christ's People--

So that now to the Archangels and to all the Powers on high should be made known, through the Church, the all-embracing wisdom of God,

In accordance with that purpose which runs through all the ages and which he has now accomplished in Jesus, the Christ, our Master.

So that the Christ, through your faith, may make his home within your hearts in love; And I pray that you, now firmly rooted and established, may, with all Christ's People,

Now surely this 'going up' must imply that he had already gone down into the world beneath.

Then we shall no longer be like infants, tossed backward and forward, blown about by every breath of human teaching, through the trickery and the craftiness of men, towards the snares of error;

And that you must clothe yourselves in that new nature which was created to resemble God, with the righteousness and holiness springing from the Truth.

And give no opportunity to the Devil.

Let the man who steals steal no longer, but rather let him toil with his hands at honest work, so that he may have something to share with any one in want.

For of this you may be sure--that no one who is unchaste or impure or greedy of gain (for to be greedy of gain is idolatry) has any place awaiting him in the kingdom of the Christ and God.

For, although you were once in Darkness, now, by your union with the Lord, you are in the Light. Live as 'Children of Light'- -

Take no part in deeds of Darkness, from which no good can come; on the contrary, expose them.

So that he might himself bring the Church, in all her beauty, into his own presence, with no spot or wrinkle or blemish of any kind, but that she might be holy and faultless.

For no one ever yet hated his own body. But every one feeds his body and cares for it, just as the Christ for the Church;

For you know that every one will be rewarded by the Master for any honest work that he has done, whether he is a slave or a freeman.

And masters, treat your slaves in the same spirit. Give up threatening them; for you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in Heaven, and that before him there is no distinction of rank.

For ours is no struggle against enemies of flesh and blood, but against all the various Powers of Evil that hold sway in the Darkness around us, against the Spirits of Wickedness on high.

To enable you, as well as others, to know all that concerns me and what I am doing, Tychicus, our dear Brother and faithful helper in the Master's Cause, will tell you everything.