which reached you, and since it is bearing fruit and growing among you, just as it is all over the world, from the day you first heard of God's favor and in reality came to know it,

by whom we possess the ransom from captivity, which means the forgiveness of our sins.

if indeed you continue well grounded and firm in faith and never shift from the hope inspired by the good news you heard, which has been preached all over the world, and of which I, Paul, have been made a minister.

For this I am toiling and struggling by His active energy which is mightily working in me.

Such a person is not continuing in connection with the Head, from which the whole body, when supplied and united through its joints and sinews, grows with a growth that God produces.

which refer to things that perish in the using, in accordance with human rules and teachings?

So once for all put to death your lower, earthly nature with respect to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is real idolatry.

and have put on the new self which is in the process of being made new in the likeness of its Creator, so that you may attain a perfect knowledge of Him.

And over all these qualities put on love, which is the tie of perfection that binds us together.

At the same time keep on praying for me too, that God may open the door of opportunity for the message, so that I may tell the open secret about Christ, for the sake of which I am held a prisoner,

Our dearly loved Luke, the physician, and Demas, wish to be remembered to you.

And tell Archippus, "See to it that you continue until you fill full your ministry which you received in the Lord's work."