For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any power, nor uncircumcision; but faith being energetic through love.

[Your] being persuaded [to do this] was not motivated by God, who called you [into His fellowship].

Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.

And, if, by Spirit, ye are being led, ye are not under law.

Let us stop being ambitious for honors, so challenging one another, envying one another.

Brothers, if any one of you is overwhelmed by a [particular] sin, those of you who are spiritually minded should [attempt to] restore such a person [to faithfulness]. But do it in a gentle way, being very careful that you yourself do not become tempted [to get involved in any sin].

for if any one doth think himself to be something -- being nothing -- himself he doth deceive;

He, however, who is being taught in the message, should always share with his instructor in all the good things which he possesses.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap.

And doing good let us not despond: for in proper time we shall reap, not being enervated.

So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).

Those who want to make a good impression in public [before the Jews] try to compel you to be circumcised, just so they will escape being persecuted for [faithfulness to] the cross of Christ.

Even those who are being circumcised, are not themselves keeping the Law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may glory in your flesh.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but being created anew.

[This letter is from] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, according to God's will, [and is being sent] to the saints [i.e., God's holy people] at Ephesus [Note: This was a major city in the western province of Asia Minor, and now a part of Turkey. The words "at Ephesus" are omitted in some manuscripts, suggesting it was a circular letter], and the faithful ones in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus [everywhere else ?].

according as He did choose us in him before the foundation of the world, for our being holy and unblemished before Him, in love,

For He pre-destined us to be adopted by Himself as sons through Jesus Christ--such being His gracious will and pleasure--

In whom we have a heritage, being marked out from the first in his purpose who does all things in agreement with his designs;

for our being to the praise of His glory, even those who did first hope in the Christ,

and this is the pledge of our inheritance, being given for the deliverance of his peculiar people, to the display of his glory.

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this world, but also in the coming age.

which is His body, that is being filled by Him who fills everything everywhere.

Unto you also - being dead by your offences and sins,

All of us [Jews] also once lived among such people, fulfilling the improper cravings of our physical being and doing what our bodies and minds desired. In this natural [unconverted] state we were deserving of [God's] wrath, just like the rest [of mankind].

But, God, being rich in mercy, by reason of the great love wherewith he loved us,

even us being dead in the transgressions, he made alive together with the Christ (ye are saved by grace),

And He raised us up together with Him [when we believed], and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, [because we are] in Christ Jesus,

For this reason keep it in mind that in the past you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are looked on as being outside the circumcision by those who have circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands;

That you were at that time without Christ, being cut off from any part in Israel's rights as a nation, having no part in God's agreement, having no hope, and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus ye, being formerly far off, became near in the blood of the Christ.

and being come, he preached the glad tidings of peace to YOU who were afar off, and to US that were nigh.

Having been built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, there being, for chief corner stone, Jesus Christ himself, -

In whom, an entire building, in process of being fitly joined together, is growing into a holy shrine in the Lord;

In whom, ye also, are being builded together, into a habitation of God in Spirit.

[Note: Paul here digresses from his prayer, begun in 1:15-16, to explain the circumstances of his being a prisoner on behalf of these Gentiles]. [I assume] you have heard about my commission [to minister] to you, which was given to me by God's unearned favor.

which in other generations was not disclosed to mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit;

To me, [though I am] the very least of all the saints (God’s people), this grace [which is undeserved] was graciously given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the incomprehensible riches of Christ [that spiritual wealth which no one can fully understand],

This was done so that now God's many-sided wisdom could be made known through the church, to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms [Note: "Heavenly realms" here refers to the world around us, where these angelic beings (good or bad) view the unfolding of God's wonderful plan],

May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality],

So that Christ may have his place in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and based in love,

that, being rooted and founded in love, you may be fully able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and hight,

and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

And to him being able to do above all things more abundantly above what we ask or think, according to the power being energetic in us,

being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of the peace;

Being one body, acted by one spirit, since you all have but one expectation in view;

And He gave some people [the gift of being] apostles; and some people prophets; and some people evangelists; and some people pastors [i.e., elders] and teachers,

till being united in a perfect belief, and acknowledgment of the son of God, we grow up to that full state of maturity required by Christ:

But being truthful in love, we may cause all things to grow for him who is the head--the Christ--

Through whom all the body, being rightly formed and united together, by the full working of every part, is increased to the building up of itself in love.

Being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God - by reason of the ignorance that existeth within them, by reason of their hearts being turned into stone,

These being past feeling have given themselves over to sensuality, in order to practise every form of impurity with greedy zest.

[that] you take off, according to your former way of life, the old man, who is being destroyed according to deceitful desires,

you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds;

Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ].

You must practice being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has graciously forgiven you.

But fornication, and all impurity, or inordinate desire, let it not be approved by you, as being unworthy of christians: neither ribaldry,

Being certain of this, that no man who gives way to the passions of the flesh, no unclean person, or one who has desire for the property of others, or who gives worship to images, has any heritage in the kingdom of Christ and God.

you were heretofore altogether in the dark, but now being enlightned by the Lord, behave as children of light:

For it is shameful even to speak [about] the things being [done] by them in secret,

But all things being exposed by the light are made evident.

Stop getting drunk with wine, which leads to wild living, but keep on being filled with the Spirit.

being subject to one another {out of reverence for} Christ

Because, a husband, is the head of his wife, as, the Christ also, is the head of the assembly, he, being the saviour of the body, -

Even so husbands should and are morally obligated to love their own wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.

because we are members of his body, being of his flesh, and of his bones.

However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].

Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart.

put on the whole armour of God, for your being able to stand against the wiles of the devil,

For our struggle is not [actually] against human beings, but against rulers and authorities and leaders of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [Note: "Heavenly realms" here refers to the struggle against Satanic powers which permeates life around us].

Stand therefore, being girded about as to your loins with truth, and being invested with the breastplate of righteousness,

and being shod as to your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

praying through every prayer and entreaty at every time in spirit, and being alert in this same thing in all perseverance and entreaty for all the sanctified,

[This letter is from] Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, [and is being sent] to all the saints [i.e., God's holy people] who are at Philippi [Note: This is a town in present-day northeastern Greece, and the first place in Europe where Paul established Christianity], along with the overseers [Note: These men were also called elders, shepherds or pastors] and deacons.

from the first day to the present time. being persuaded that

Being persuaded of this very thing - that, he who hath begun in you a good work, will perfect it, until the day of Jesus Christ;

According as it is right in me to have this regard in behalf of you all, - because ye have had me in your hearts, both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the glad-message, all of you being, joint partakers of my favour.

that being capable to distinguish what is best, you may remain stedfastly sincere until the day of Christ,

Being full of the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

so that my bonds have become manifest as being in Christ in all the praetorium and to all others;

and that most of the brethren in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

What then [does it matter]? So long as in every way, whether in pretense [for self-promotion] or in all honesty [to spread the truth], Christ is being preached; and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will rejoice [later as well],

For I know that, through your requests [in prayer] for me and the help provided by the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, this situation will result in my being rescued [i.e., released from imprisonment].

And I am constrained by the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, being far better.

and my inclination to abide in this life, as being more advantageous for YOU:

And, of, this, being assured, know that I shall abide, - yea abide with you all, for your advancement, and the joy of your faith;

So that your pride in me may be increased in Christ Jesus through my being present with you again.

Only, in a manner worthy of the glad-message of the Christ, be using your citizenship; in order that - whether coming and seeing you, or being absent, I may hear of the things which concern you - that ye are standing fast in one spirit, with one soul, joining for the combat along with the faith of the glad-message;

And not being affrighted in anything by the opposers, - the which, is, unto them, a token of destruction, although of your salvation, and this from God;

being engag'd in the same conflict, in which you saw I was formerly, and hear that I am at present engag'd.

Is there anything to be encouraged about by being in [fellowship with] Christ? Is there any comfort from His love? Is there any sharing with the Holy Spirit? [Have you received] any affection and compassion [from Christ]?

make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love [toward one another], knit together in spirit, intent on one purpose [and living a life that reflects your faith and spreads the gospel—the good news regarding salvation through faith in Christ].

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.

who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it];

but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man].

And, in fashion, being found, as a man, humbled himself, becoming obedient as far as death, yea, death upon a cross.

In order that, in the name of Jesus, every knee might bow - of beings in heaven, and on earth, and underground, -

But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and rejoice with all of you.

But I am fully persuaded in [harmony with the wishes of] the Lord that I, myself, also will go to you soon. [Note: Paul here expresses the hope of being released from imprisonment, in spite of previous hints that he might be put to death. See 1:20; 2:17].

For we are the circumcision, men who worship in spirit to God, and who boast in Christ Jesus, and not being confident in flesh.