Now granted, I have not burdened you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!

You have thought all along that we were defending ourselves to you. No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up.

I fear that when I come my God will again humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented of the moral impurity, sexual immorality, and promiscuity they practiced.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!

As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!

For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I persecuted God’s church to an extreme degree and tried to destroy it.

I went up according to a revelation and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles—but privately to those recognized as leaders—so that I might not be running, or have run the race, in vain.

This issue arose because of false brothers smuggled in, who came in secretly to spy on the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.

know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.

For through the law I have died to the law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ

then understand that those who have faith are Abraham’s sons.

So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith.

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment.

But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and bankrupt elemental forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

I beg you, brothers: Become like me, for I also became like you. You have not wronged me;

What happened to this sense of being blessed you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.

I have confidence in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty.

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else.

For each person will have to carry his own load.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.

Look at what large letters I use as I write to you in my own handwriting.

We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.

For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

you have heard, haven’t you, about the administration of God’s grace that He gave to me for you?

The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above.

In Him we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,

so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.

Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and establishment of the gospel.

Most of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the message fearlessly.

I am pressured by both. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ—which is far better—

So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests;

Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one grief on top of another.

although I once also had confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:

But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ.

More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ

Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,

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

Join in imitating me, brothers, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.

For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.

Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it.

I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.

But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints

because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the message of truth, the gospel

We have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, in Him.

For everything was created by Him,
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.

He is also the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
so that He might come to have
first place in everything.

For God was pleased to have
all His fullness dwell in Him,

if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.

I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known,

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person.

I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ.

Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him,

and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Although these have a reputation of wisdom by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.

So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices

and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.

Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

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

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, as does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him),

and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcision are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.

When this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

And tell Archippus, “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.”

Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but rather God, who examines our hearts.

Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles, instead we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother nurtures her own children.

For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, since you have also suffered the same things from people of your own country, just as they did from the Jews

But now Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news about your faith and love and reported that you always have good memories of us, wanting to see us, as we also want to see you.

Finally then, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you must walk and please God—as you are doing—do so even more.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.

For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep.

in that day when He comes to be glorified by His saints and to be admired by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.

and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not all have faith.

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

It is not that we don’t have the right to support, but we did it to make ourselves an example to you so that you would imitate us.

Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion.

having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have suffered the shipwreck of their faith.

Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them, and I have delivered them to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to be silent.

Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the Devil’s trap.

For those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves, and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

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.

If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and the good teaching that you have followed.

But have nothing to do with irreverent and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness,

In fact, we labor and strive for this, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, especially of those who believe.

and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge.

Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us.