For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

I therefore, a prisoner for the sake of the Lord, exhort you to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all humility and meekness;

endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: for there is but one body and one Spirit,

And therefore He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; to qualify holy men for the work of the ministry,

Wherefore putting away lying, speak ye every one truth to his neighbor; for we are all members of one society.

even as Christ hath loved us, and given Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweet perfume.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or inordinate desire, let it not be even named among you; for so it becometh saints:

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, (who is an idolater,) hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Let no one deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

For ye were heretofore darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord:

walk therefore as children of light, (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth,)

For it is a shame even to relate the things that are done by them in secret.

But all things to be reproved: are made manifest by the light: for whatever doth make manifest, is light.

always giving thanks for all to God even the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ:

for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and the saviour of that body.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave up Himself for it:

that He might prepare it for Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it should be holy and unblameable.

For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord also doth the church:

for we are members of his body, as if taken out of his flesh, and of his bones, as Eve was out of Adam's.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

For our conflict is not with flesh and blood only, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the world and of the darkness of this age, against wicked spirits in heavenly places.

praying at all seasons with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and intercession for all the saints;

and for me particularly, that utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth with freedom, to make known the mystery of the gospel:

for which I am an ambassador though in chains: that I may speak boldly in behalf of it, as I ought to speak.

for this very end, that ye might know our concerns, and that he may comfort your hearts.

(always making supplication for you all with joy

in every prayer of mine) for your attachment to the gospel, from the first day even till now;

As it is just for me to think this of you all, because ye have me in your heart, both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, being all of you partakers of the same grace with me.

For God is my witness, how much I long for you all, as with the bowels of Jesus Christ.

so that my bonds are manifest in all the palace, and all other places, to be for the sake of Christ;

the others out of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

for I know that this shall turn to my safety through your prayer, and the aid of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain: and if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor:

for I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is much preferable:

but to abide in the flesh is more necessary for you.

And as I am confident of this, I know that I shall abide and shall continue with you all, for your improvement and the joy of your faith:

Only behave worthy of the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or be absent, I may hear of you, that ye stand firm in one Spirit, striving together as with one soul for the saith of the gospel;

For to you it is granted as a favor from Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for his sake:

who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be as God.

Yet He emptied himself, assuming the form of a servant, when made in the likeness of men:

for it is God that worketh in you both to will, and to work, out of his own good-pleasure.

And for the same cause do ye also rejoice, and congratulate with me.

For I have no one of a like spirit, who will with a kind of natural affection take care of your affairs.

For all seek their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.

for he much longed after you all, and was greatly concerned because ye had heard that he was sick.

For indeed he was sick and nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.

because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his own life, so that he might fill up what was wanting in your kind offices towards me.

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not irksome to me, and for you it is safe.

For we are of the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh.

which were once gain to me, I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless and I count all but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all, and I account them but dung, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him,

not that I have yet won the prize, or am already perfect: but I press forward to acquire that perfection, for which also I have been apprehended by Christ Jesus.

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Brethren, be imitators of me, and observe those that walk as ye have us for an example.

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction,

whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame; who mind earthly things) For our conversation is in heaven,

And I entreat thee likewise, my faithful collegue, to assist them, for they laboured with me in the gospel, and Clement also, and my other fellow-laborers, whose names are in the book of life.

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord, that your care for me has now flourished again; for whom ye were indeed careful before, but ye wanted opportunity.

Not that I speak on account of want; for I have learnt in whatever circumstances I am, to be contented.

For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again to supply my wants.

Now to our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, always in our prayers for you:

for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which ye have heard before in the word of truth, that is the gospel;

As ye also learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ for you;

For this cause we also, from the day that we heard it, cease not to pray for you, and to request that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding:

giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet for a portion of the inheritance of the saints in light:

for by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all were created by Him, and for Him.

For it pleased the Father, that all fulness should dwell in Him;

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

For I would have you know what a great conflict I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen me in person:

For though I be absent in body, yet am I with you in spirit, rejoicing and beholding your regularity, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

for all the fulness of the deity dwelleth personally in Him.

For ye are dead as to the world, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

for which things the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.

And let the peace of God preside in your hearts, to which ye are also called as united in one body: and be thankful for it.

Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well-pleasing to the Lord:

knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ;

but he that doth unjustly, shall receive for what wrong he hath done; and there is no respect of persons with God:

Praying at the same time for us also, that God would open to us a door of utterance, to declare the mystery of Christ, for which also I am in bonds: that I may make it manifest, as I ought.

whom I have sent to you for this purpose also that he may know your affairs, and comfort your hearts;

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you; who always strives earnestly for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God:

for I bear him witness, that he is very zealous for you, and for those in Laodicea, and Hierapolis.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.

For our gospel came not to you in word only, but also in power, and in the holy Ghost, and in much certainty; as ye know what sort of persons we were among you for your sakes.

For the word of the Lord sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia; but also in every place your faith towards God is spread abroad, so that we have no need to say any thing of it.

For they themselves declare concerning us what kind of entrance we had among you, and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God;

and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivereth us from the wrath to come.

For ye yourselves, brethren, know our entrance among you, that it was not in vain.

For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of impurity, nor in guile:

For neither at any time used we flattering speech, as ye know, nor covetous pretence, God is witness:

For ye remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for working night and day, that we might not be burthensome to any of you, we preached among you the gospel of God.

For this also we thank God continually, that when ye received the word of God, which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which also worketh effectually in you that believe.

For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God, which are in Judea, in Christ Jesus, in that ye also have suffered the same things from your own countrymen, as they have from the Jews:

But we, brethren, being separated from you for a season, in person not in heart, endeavoured the more earnestly to see you again with much desire.

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? are not ye also among others in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

for ye are our glory and our joy.

that no one might be shaken by these afflictions: for ye yourselves know that we are appointed hereunto.

For when we were with you, we told you before that we should be afflicted, as it came to pass, and ye know.

For this cause being able to wait no longer, I sent to know the state of your faith, least the tempter should have tempted you, and our labor have been in vain.