That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

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

that you may be without reproach, the inoffensive spotless children of God in the midst of a depraved and perverse generation (among whom you should shine as stars in the world,

and if my blood should serve as a libation to ratify your faith, I should rejoice and congratulate with you all thereupon;

In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

For he longed after you, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard say that he should be sick,

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

I sent him therefore the diligentlier, that when ye should see him, ye might rejoice again, and I might be the less sorrowful.

So, you should welcome him in [the fellowship of] the Lord with great joy, and regard such people with honor,

Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.

In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.

Brothers, you people should join together in imitating me, and take note of those who are following my example.

You should let your gentleness be known to all people. The Lord is near. [Note: This "nearness" could refer to Christ's second coming or to His nearness to His people in a spiritual sense].

Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and [special] petition, along with thanksgivings, you should make your requests known to God.

You people should do those things which you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and [then] the God [who gives] peace will be with you.

Yes, He is the Head of the church as His body. For He is the beginning, the first-born among the dead, so that He alone should stand first in everything.

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

and through [the intervention of] the Son to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace [with believers] through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

But now he has reconciled you to himself by the sacrifice of Christ's earthly body in death--it has pleased God that you should stand in his presence holy, pure, and blameless,

It is His will that they should understand the glorious wealth which this secret holds for the Gentiles, in the fact of Christ's presence among you as your hope of glory.

And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

Beware, lest there should be any one who makes a spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceits, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ;

But now you also should stop practicing them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, filthy language from your mouth.

forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any should have a complaint against any; even as the Christ has forgiven you, so also do ye.

You should let the peace given by Christ rule in your hearts, since you people were called [to be at peace] in one body [i.e., the church]; and you should be thankful.

You should let the message of Christ live in you abundantly [i.e., as individuals and collectively]. Use [much] wisdom in teaching and warning one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with favor [i.e., with thankfulness] in your hearts toward God.

You wives should submit to your husbands, as this is proper in [the fellowship of] the Lord.

You husbands should love your wives and not be harsh toward them.

You children should obey your parents in everything, for this is very pleasing to the Lord.

You fathers [Note: By implication, this would include both parents] should not stir up your children [i.e., irritate or exasperate them], so that they do not become discouraged.

You slaves should obey your earthly masters in everything, [and] do not do it just when they are looking [at you], or to gain their favor, but do it with a sincere heart, out of reverence for the Lord.

You masters should treat your slaves in a just and fair way, knowing that you also have a Master [who] is in heaven.

May I reveal it as clearly as I should!

Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions--if he should come to you, welcome him),

For you brothers [should] know that our coming to you was not a waste of time.

but as we were allowed of God, that the gospel should be committed unto us: even so we speak, not as though we intended to please men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

But we were gentle in the midst of you, as a nurse should cherish her children:

For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil: night and day working, that we should burden no one of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory.

forbidding that we should speak to the Gentiles in order that they may be saved; that they may fill up their sins always: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

For this cause I also, when I could no longer forbear, sent that I might know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor should be in vain.

Finally then, brothers, we request and urge you, in [the fellowship of] the Lord, that you should live [dedicated lives] and please God. Just as you people received direction from us [on doing this], see that you [continue to] do it more and more.

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.

Now concerning brotherly love ye have no need that we should write to you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

That ye should walk reputably toward those without, and, of no one, have, need.

Now, concerning those who from time to time pass away, we would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, lest you should mourn as others do who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also should we believe that God will, through Jesus, bring with him those who sleep.

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that ye should be written to,

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

So then, we should not be [spiritually] asleep, like the rest [i.e., the unsaved world], but we should be alert and sober [i.e., in control of our senses].

But, since we belong to the daytime [i.e., are enlightened], we should be sober. We should put on the "flack jacket" of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of being saved.

Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

And regard them very highly, in a loving way, because of the work they do. You should live at peace with one another.

You should be joyful at all times.

We are bound always to thank God for you, brothers ??it is proper that we should, because your faith grows apace and your mutual love, one and all, is increasing.

a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that ye should be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for the sake of which ye also suffer;

and that you, who are distress'd, should obtain your repose, together with us, when the Lord Jesus, with his angels, the ministers of his power, shall descend from heaven,

whenever he should come to be glorified on that day by his saints and to be marveled at by all who believe, because our testimony was believed among you,

that ye be not suddenly moved from your mind, and be not troubled; neither by spirit, neither by words, nor yet by letter, which should seem to come from us, as though the day of Christ were at hand.

And now ye know that which restrains, that he should be revealed in his own time.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

In order that should be judged who would not believe in the truth, but were well-pleased with the unrighteousness.

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

For ye yourselves know that ye should imitate us; because we were not disorderly among you;

not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves and ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us.

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

And to such we proclaim and beseech by our Lord Jesus Christ, that, with freedom from care working, they should eat their own bread.

But you, brothers, should not get tired of doing what is right.

And if any person does not obey our instructions, [given] in this letter, you should take note of him so that you do not associate with him, in hope that he will become ashamed [of his conduct].

Now we know that the Law is good, if a man uses it in the way it should be used,

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander; whom I have delivered to Satan, that they should not be taught to blaspheme.

I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings should be offered for all men,

who desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

which gave himself a ransom for all men, that it should be testified at his time;

Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and disputing or quarreling or doubt [in their mind].

Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves modestly and appropriately and discreetly in proper clothing, not with [elaborately] braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive clothes,

A woman should learn in silence with full submission.

But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man [in the assembly], but she should remain quiet.

It is necessary therefore that a bishop should be blameless, a husband of one wife, circumspect, sober, well-behaved, hospitable, apt to teach,

he should be a man who rules his own household well, and whose children are kept under control and are well-behaved.

He ought not to be a new convert, for fear he should be blinded with pride and come under the same condemnation as the Devil.

But it is necessary that he should have also a good testimony from those without, that he may fall not into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money,

They should keep holding on to the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.

And these [prospective deacons] should also first be tested, [and] then they should [be appointed to] serve [as deacons] if they are found to be above reproach.

Women [i.e., probably the deacons' wives], in the same way, should be serious-minded [i.e., dignified], not gossips, [but] sober-minded [see verse 2] and trustworthy in everything.

Deacons should be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own family affairs well.

But if I should be delayed, I have written so that you will know how people ought to act in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

For everything created by God is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,

But you should have nothing to do with those worldly myths [See 1:4] and superstitious tales [often] told by old women. Instead, train yourself for living a godly life.

Let no one despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God.

Those are the points on which you should dwell, that there may be no call for your censure.

No widow should be placed on the official support list unless she is at least 60 years old, has been the wife of one husband,