because we are members of his body.

in everything taking up the shield of faith, with which you are able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one,

Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons.

just as it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, [since] both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you are sharers of grace with me.

Only lead your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent I hear {your circumstances}, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,

complete my joy, so that {you are in agreement}, having the same love, united in spirit, {having one purpose}.

For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and do not [put] confidence in the flesh,

Therefore as many as [are] perfect, {let us hold this opinion}, and if you think anything differently, God will reveal this also to you.

Yes, I ask also you, true yokefellow, help them, who struggled along with me in the gospel with both Clement and the rest of my fellow workers whose names [are] in the book of life.

Finally, brothers, whatever [things] are true, whatever [things are] honorable, whatever [things are] right, whatever [things are] pure, whatever [things are] pleasing, whatever [things are] commendable, if [there is] any excellence of character and if anything praiseworthy, think about these [things].

and he himself is before all [things], and in him all [things] are held together,

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

and you are filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority,

which are a shadow of what is to come, but the reality [is] Christ.

which [things] are all [meant] for destruction by consuming according to human commandments and teachings,

and Jesus who is called Justus. These [are] the only ones who are fellow workers for the kingdom of God from the circumcision, who have been a comfort to me.

You [are] witnesses, and [so is] God, how devoutly and righteously and blamelessly we became to you who believe,

For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God [which] are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same [things] at the hands of your own people, just as [they] themselves [did] also at the hands of the Jews,

who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who persecuted us, and [who are] not pleasing to God and [are] opposed to all people,

For you are our glory and joy.

[so that] no one would be shaken by these afflictions. For [you] yourselves know that we are appointed for this,

Finally therefore, brothers, we ask you and appeal to [you] in the Lord Jesus that, just as you have received from us how it is necessary for you to live and to please God, just as indeed you are living, that you progress even more.

But concerning brotherly love, I do not have need to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,

for indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to progress even more,

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

Then we who are alive, who remain, will be snatched away at the same time together with them in the clouds for a meeting with the Lord in the air, and thus we will be together with the Lord always.

But you, brothers, are not in the darkness, so that the day should catch you like a thief,

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

For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.

But [because] we are of the day, we must be sober, [by] putting 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 at the same time with him.

Therefore encourage one another and build up {each other}, just as indeed you are doing.

so that we ourselves boast in you in the churches of God about your patient endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring,

a proof of the righteous judgment of God, so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, on behalf of which also you are suffering,

since [it is] righteous in the sight of God to pay back those who are afflicting you with affliction,

and to you who are being afflicted, rest with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels,

and with every unrighteous deception against those who are perishing, in place of which they did not accept the love of the truth, so that they would be saved.

And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are both doing and you will do [the things] that we are commanding.

For we hear [that] some among you are living irresponsibly, working [at] nothing, but being busybodies.

wanting to be teachers of the law, [although they] do not understand either [the things] which they are saying or [the things] concerning which they are speaking confidently.

and the grace of our Lord abounded with the faith and love [that are] in Christ Jesus.

But because of this I was shown mercy, in order that in me foremost, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his total patience, for an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.

among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, in order that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

on behalf of kings and all those who are in authority, in order that we may live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

but with good deeds which are fitting for women who profess godliness.

and these also must be tested first; then let them serve [if they] are above reproach.

by the hypocrisy of liars, who are seared in their own conscience,

Honor widows [who are] truly widows.

being well-attested by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has helped those who are oppressed, if she has devoted herself to every good work.

And at the same time also, going around from house to house, they learn [to be] idle, and not only idle, but also gossipy and busybodies, saying the things [that are] not necessary.

If any believing woman has widows, she must help them, and the church must not be burdened, in order that it may help those [who are] truly widows.

The sins of some people are evident, preceding [them] to judgment, but for some also they follow after [them].

Likewise also good works [are] evident, and those considered otherwise are not able to be hidden.

All those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, lest the name of God and the teaching be slandered.

And those who have believing masters must not look down on [them] because they are brothers, but rather they must serve, because those who benefit by their service are believers and dearly loved.

Command those [who are] rich in this present age not to be proud and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of riches, but in God, who provides us all [things] richly for enjoyment,

Hold fast to the pattern of sound words which you heard from me, in the faith and love [that are] in Christ Jesus.

You know this, that all those in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

if we are unfaithful, he remains faithful--{he cannot deny himself}.

and their message {will spread} like gangrene, among whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

who have deviated concerning the truth [by] saying the resurrection has already taken place, and they are upsetting the faith of some.

However, the solid foundation of God stands firm, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and "Everyone who names the name of the Lord must abstain from unrighteousness."

Now in a great house [there] are not only gold and silver vessels, but also wooden and earthenware [ones], some of which [are] for honorable use, and some of which [are] for ordinary use.

correcting those who are opposed with gentleness, [seeing] whether perhaps God may grant them repentance to a knowledge of the truth,

For from these are those who slip into houses and captivate foolish women loaded down with sins, led by various kinds of desires,

But you continue in [the things] which you have learned and are convinced [of], [because you] know from whom you learned [them],

and that from childhood you have known the holy writings that are able [to make] you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

For there are many rebellious [people], idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

whom it is necessary to silence, whoever are ruining whole families [by] teaching [things] which must not be [taught] for the sake of dishonest gain.

A certain one of them, [one of] their own prophets, has 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 conscience are defiled.

They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny [him], [because they] are detestable and disobedient, and unfit for every good deed.

But you, speak [the things] which are fitting for sound instruction.

Older men are to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, [and] in endurance.

Older women likewise [are to be] reverent in [their] behavior, not slanderous, not enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

The saying [is] trustworthy, and I want you to insist concerning these [things], so that those who have believed in God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and beneficial for people.

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and contentions and quarrels about the law, for they are useless and fruitless.

For to which of the angels did he ever say, "You are my son, today I have begotten you," and again, "I will be {his father}, and he will be {my son}"?

And, "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the works of your hands;

and like a robe you will roll them up, and like a garment they will be changed; but you are the same, and your years will not run out."

Are they not all spirits engaged in special service, sent on assignment for the sake of those who are going to inherit salvation?

For he did not subject to angels the world to come, about which we are speaking.

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 originator of their salvation through sufferings.

For both the one who sanctifies and the ones who are sanctified [are] all from one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brothers,

For in that which he himself suffered [when he] was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

but Christ [was faithful] as a son over his house, whose house we are, if we hold fast to our confidence and the hope we can be proud of.

And no creature is hidden in the sight of him, but all [things are] naked and laid bare to the eyes of him to whom {we must give our account}.

being able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and led astray, since he himself also is surrounded by weakness,

Thus also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but the one who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you,"

just as also in another [place] he says, "You [are] a priest {forever} according to the order of Melchizedek,"

But even if we are speaking in this way, dear friends, we are convinced of better [things] concerning you, and belonging to salvation.

And indeed those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have a commandment to collect a tenth from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, although {they are descended from Abraham}.

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

For it is testified, "You [are] a priest {forever} according to the order of Melchizedek."

but he with an oath by the one who said to him, "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You [are] a priest {forever}'"),

Now if he were on earth, he would not even be a priest, [because there] are those who offer the gifts according to the law,

For in finding fault with them he says, "Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow sprinkled on those who are defiled sanctify [them] for the ritual purity of the flesh,

And because of this, he is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that, [because] a death has taken place for the redemption of transgressions [committed] during the first covenant, those who are the called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

For a will [is] in force concerning those who are dead, since [it is] never in force when the one who made the will is alive.