Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God--and Timothy our brother:

For this reason we also, from the day we first received these tidings, have never ceased to pray for you and to entreat that you may be filled with a clear knowledge of His will accompanied by thorough wisdom and discernment in spiritual things;

For it was the Father's gracious will that the whole of the divine perfections should dwell in Him.

to whom it was His will to make known how vast a wealth of glory for the Gentile world is implied in this truth--the truth that 'Christ is in you, the hope of glory.'

When Christ appears--He is our true Life--then you also will appear with Him in glory.

But now you must rid yourselves of every kind of sin--angry and passionate outbreaks, ill-will, evil speaking, foul-mouthed abuse--so that these may never soil your lips.

For you know that it is from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. Christ is the Master whose bondservants you are.

The man who perpetrates a wrong will find the wrong repaid to him; and with God there are no merely earthly distinctions.

Tychicus, our much-loved brother, a trusty assistant and fellow servant with us in the Lord's work, will give you every information about me.

And with him I send our dear and trusty brother Onesimus, who is one of yourselves. They will inform you of everything here.

Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, sends greetings to you, always wrestling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand firm--Christians of ripe character and of clear conviction as to everything which is God's will.