All this accords with the loving-kindness which God lavished upon us, accompanied by countless gifts of wisdom and discernment,

In him, I say, for by our union with him we became God's Heritage, having from the first been destined for this in the intention of him who, in all that happens, is carrying out his own fixed purpose;

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus, the Christ, for the sake of you Gentiles--

And, by reading what I have written, you will be able to judge how far I understand this hidden purpose of God in Christ.

Of this Good News I became a minister, in virtue of the charge with which God entrusted me in the exercise of his power--

Yes, to me, who am less than the least of all Christ's People, was this charge entrusted!--to tell the Gentiles the Good News of the boundless wealth to be found in the Christ,

For this reason, then, I kneel before the Father--

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

And this shall continue, until we all attain to that unity which is given by faith and by a fuller knowledge of the Son of God; until we reach the ideal man--the full standard of the perfection of the Christ.

This, then, as one in union with the Lord, I say to you and urge upon you: Do not continue to live such purposeless lives as the Gentiles live,

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 this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and be united to his wife; and the man and his wife shall become one.'

In this there is a profound truth--I am speaking of Christ and his Church.

'Honor thy father and mother'--this is the first Commandment with a promise--'

Pray in spirit at all times. Be intent upon this, with unwearying perseverance and supplication for all Christ's People- -