They seek you, but for no good purpose; they want to shut you out, so that you may seek them.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave and one by the free woman.

For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; for the children of the desolate are more numerous than the children of her who has a husband."

But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now.

It was for freedom that Christ has set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.

I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine; and the one who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

But if I, brethren, still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.

I wish that those who are troubling you would mutilate themselves!

But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you would.

envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Those who want to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before him. In love

in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of his glory.

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

so that in the coming ages he might show the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we would walk in them.

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands

remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

by abolishing in his flesh the hostility, which is the Law of commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,

assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you,

that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.

that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs and members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner man,

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call,

(In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean except that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

He who descended is also he who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.)

Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds,

they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to the hardness of their heart;

assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but rather must labor, doing useful work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with those in need.

Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building others up according to the need of the moment, that it may impart grace to those who hear.

For of this you can be sure, that no immoral, impure, or covetous personsuch a man is an idolaterhas any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,

that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

that he might present the church to himself in all her glory, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and blameless.

This is a profound mystery; but I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

However, each one of you must also love his wife as himself, and the wife must see that she respects her husband.

"that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth."

knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

Masters, do the same to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

and also pray for me, that in the opening of my mouth, utterance may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,

for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.

For I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ;

Now I want you to know, brethren, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,

so that my imprisonment for Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,

and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have been encouraged to speak the word of God without fear.

The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel;

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be ashamed in anything, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better;

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,

so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,

in no way frightened by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction to them, but of salvation for you and that too, from God.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

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

so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news of you.

But you know that he has proved his worth, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.

and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

for he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was ill.

Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may have less anxiety.

More than that, I count everything to be loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith,

that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death;

in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Let those of us who are mature have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you.

who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you had no opportunity.

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

You yourselves also know, Philippians, that in the first preaching of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you only;

Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.

For this reason also, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,