Now this, "He ascended," what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ;

But you did not learn Christ that way;

Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.

But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints;

nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks.

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

Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them.

But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that reveals is light.

Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise;

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.

that he might present the church to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ also does the church;

This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the church.

And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

not in the way of service only when eyes are on you, as men pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world's rulers of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things;

but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.

But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I do not make known what I will choose.

But I am in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,

doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

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

But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing.

But you know the proof of him, that, as a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News.

But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly.

But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need;

For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.

More than that, I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

Brothers, I do not regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forward to the things which are ahead,

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.

You yourselves also know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the Good News, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you only.

Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.

But I have all things, and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.

the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints,

which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's.

Which things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

but now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.

where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.

Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord.

But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality.

and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake.

For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out; so that we do not need to say anything.

but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.

But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.

But we were like children among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.

forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.

But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,

because we wanted to come to you?indeed, I, Paul, once and again?but Satan hindered us.

But when Timothy came just now to us from you, and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you;

For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.

Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.

But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,

for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief.

so then let us not sleep, as the rest do, but let us watch and be sober.

But let us, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

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

But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,

See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good, for one another, and for all.

but test all things; hold firmly that which is good.

that they all might be judged who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth;

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and guard you from the evil one.

neither did we eat bread from anyone's hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you;

not because we do not have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us.

For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who do not work at all, but are busybodies.

But you, brothers, do not be weary in doing well.

Do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith;

But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully,

as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers,

but (which becomes women professing godliness) with good works.

But I do not permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.

Adam was not deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience;

but she will be delivered through childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with good judgment.

not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money;

(but if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,

But refuse profane and old wives' tales. Exercise yourself toward godliness.

For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.

Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in faith, and in purity.

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