May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised, for He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in [fellowship with] Christ. [Note: The term "heavenly realms" is used somewhat differently throughout this book. Here it refers to Christians as part of the church on earth].

It is in [fellowship with] Christ that we [Jewish Christians] also were selected as [God's] inheritance [i.e., to receive His never ending blessings], having been predetermined according to the plan of God, who works out everything in harmony with what He wants.

The end [i.e., of being so predetermined] was that we [Jewish Christians], who had previously placed our hope in Christ, should bring about the praise of God's splendor.

Wherefore having heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and of your love to all christians,

For we [Christians] are the product of God's workmanship, [re-] created in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus for [the purpose of] doing good deeds. God had previously determined that this should be our practice.

upon me, who am the meanest of all christians, is this favour bestowed, that I should proclaim to the Gentiles the undiscoverable advantages by Christ;

As for sexual vice and every kind of impurity or lust, it is unbecoming for you as Christians even to mention them;

For once you were sheer darkness, but now, as Christians, you are light itself. You must live like children of light,

Children, as Christians obey your parents, for that is right.

Pour out your souls unto God upon all occasions, watching in prayer with all perseverance and supplication for all christians:

Be mutually obsequious with christian respect.

You fathers, too, must not irritate your children, but you must bring them up with Christian training and instruction.

or obscenity, or foolish talk, or loose witticisms; things which become not [a Christian], but rather thanksgiving.

if at least you have heard His voice and in Him have been taught--and this is true Christian teaching--