Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

I thank my God every time I remember you.

For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

For it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God's grace together with me.

For God is my witness that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

and by not being intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of their destruction, but of your salvation -- a sign which is from God.

who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped,

As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort -- for the sake of his good pleasure -- is God.

so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world

In fact he became so ill that he nearly died. But God showed mercy to him -- and not to him only, but also to me -- so that I would not have grief on top of grief.

For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, exult in Christ Jesus, and do not rely on human credentials

-- though mine too are significant. If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, I have more:

In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.

and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ's faithfulness -- a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ's faithfulness.

with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore let those of us who are "perfect" embrace this point of view. If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways.

Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.

Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.

And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

And what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you.

For I have received everything, and I have plenty. I have all I need because I received from Epaphroditus what you sent -- a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, very pleasing to God.

And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

May glory be given to God our Father forever and ever. Amen.