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 are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;

For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,

Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you.

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face,

in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.

For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.

You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,

who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men,

For you are our glory and joy.

Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;

for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;

But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.

and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,

We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.

For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.

wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers

and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.

for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.

Honor widows who are widows indeed;

If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed.

The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after.

Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.

All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.

Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles.

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.

Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.”

Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.

with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,

and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.

One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.

Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.Grace be with you all.

For to which of the angels did He ever say,
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You”? And again,“I will be a Father to Him
And He shall be a Son to Me”?

And,
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the works of Your hands;

And like a mantle You will roll them up;
Like a garment they will also be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not come to an end.”

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking.

But one has testified somewhere, saying,
“What is man, that You remember him?
Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him?

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.

For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him,
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You”;

just as He says also in another passage,
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”

But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.

For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.

For it is attested of Him,
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”

(for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,
“The Lord has sworn
And will not change His mind,
‘You are a priest forever’”);

For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.

Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law;

For finding fault with them, He says,
“Behold, days are coming, says the Lord,
When I will effect a new covenant
With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;

Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship,

which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience,

For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.

And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law),

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.