But what does “He ascended” mean except that He descended to the lower parts of the earth?

But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ.

But that is not how you learned about the Messiah,

No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.

But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints.

Coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—

Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—

So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit:

He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.

For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church,

This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church.

Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

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

For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and strife, but others out of good will.

My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death.

but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.

not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your deliverance—and this is from God.

For it has been given to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him,

Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

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.

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

But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father.

But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need—

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.

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

and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.

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,

but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

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.

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.

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.

All the saints greet you, but especially those from Caesar’s household.

But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him—

the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints.

For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.

But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.

In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.

Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we were among you for your benefit,

For the Lord’s message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything,

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.

We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the message of God, which also works effectively in you believers.

But as for us, brothers, after we were forced to leave you for a short time (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face.

So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.

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.

For God has not called us to impurity but to sanctification.

Therefore, the person who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who also gives you His Holy Spirit.

In fact, you are doing this toward all the brothers in the entire region of Macedonia. But we encourage you, brothers, to do so even more,

But you, brothers, are not in the dark, for this day to overtake you like a thief.

So then, we must not sleep, like the rest, but we must stay awake and be serious.

But since we belong to the day, we must be serious and put the armor of faith and love on our chests, and put on a helmet of the hope of salvation.

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.

but test all things.
Hold on to what is good.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way,

so that all will be condemned—those who did not believe the truth but enjoyed unrighteousness.

But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one.

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.

For we hear that there are some among you who walk irresponsibly, not working at all, but interfering with the work of others.

Yet don’t treat him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers,

But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

but with good works, as is proper for women who affirm that they worship God.

And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.

But she will be saved through childbearing, if she continues in faith, love, and holiness, with good judgment.

not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy—

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.

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

for

the training of the body has a limited benefit,
but godliness is beneficial in every way,
since it holds promise for the present life
and also for the life to come.

Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,

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.

But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry

At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say.

Don’t continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

Some people’s sins are obvious, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others surface later.

Those who have believing masters should not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers, but should serve them better, since those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved.

Teach and encourage these things.

he is conceited, understanding nothing, but has a sick interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions,

But godliness with contentment is a great gain.

But if we have food and clothing,
we will be content with these.

But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.

But you, man of God, run from these things,
and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith,
love, endurance, and gentleness.

Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

He has saved us and called us
with a holy calling,
not according to our works,
but according to His own purpose and grace,
which was given to us in Christ Jesus
before time began.

and that is why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know the One I have believed in and am persuaded that He is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.

I suffer for it to the point of being bound like a criminal, but God’s message is not bound.

But avoid irreverent, empty speech, for this will produce an even greater measure of godlessness.

Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver bowls, but also those of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.

But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels.

The Lord’s slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient,

But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days.