to make us redound to the praise of his glory by being the first to put our hope in Christ.

above all the angelic Rulers, Authorities, Powers, and Lords, above every Name that is to be named not only in this age but in the age to come ??22 he has put everything under his feet and set him as head over everything for the church,

But, dead in trespasses as we were, God was so rich in mercy that for his great love to us

For it is by grace you have been saved, as you had faith; it is not your doing but God's gift,

in his own flesh he put an end to the feud of the Law with its code of commands, so as to make peace by the creation of a new Man in himself out of both parties,

But each one of us is granted his own grace, as determined by the full measure of Christ's gift.

Be angry but do not sin; never let the sun set upon your exasperation,

Let the thief steal no more; rather let him work and put his hands to an honest task, so as to have something to contribute to the needy.

Let no bad word pass your lips, but only such speech as is good for edification, as occasion may require, words that are gracious and a means of grace to those who hear them.

So do not be senseless, but understand what is the Lord's will;

and do not get drunk with wine ??that means profligacy ??but be filled with the Spirit,

in order to have the church as his very own, standing before him in all her glory, with never a spot or wrinkle or any such flaw, but consecrated and unblemished.

As for you fathers, do not exasperate your children, but bring them up in the discipline and on the admonitions of the Lord.

Be sure that everyone, slave or free, will be paid back by the Lord and Master for the good he has done.

put on God's armour so as to be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil.

For we have to struggle, not with blood and flesh but with the angelic Rulers, the angelic Authorities, the potentates of the dark present, the spirit-forces of evil in the heavenly sphere.

put on salvation as your helmet, and take the Spirit as your sword (that is, the word of God),