for he has discover'd to us the secret of his will, that out of his meer good pleasure, he had purposed in himself,

Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, who are called “Uncircumcision” by those who called themselves “Circumcision,” [itself a mere mark] which is made in the flesh by human hands—

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

Now to the one who is able to do beyond all measure more than all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work in us,

Now this, that he ascended, what does it imply? but that he also first descended into the more internal parts of the earth?

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

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].

not with mere external service, as though you had only men to please, but like slaves of Christ, carrying out the will of God.

For ours is not a conflict with mere flesh and blood, but with the despotisms, the empires, the forces that control and govern this dark world--the spiritual hosts of evil arrayed against us in the heavenly warfare.