for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [how you lean on Him with absolute confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness], and of the [unselfish] love which you have for all the saints (God’s people);

which has come to you. Indeed, just as in the whole world the gospel is constantly bearing fruit and spreading [by God’s power], just as it has been doing among you ever since the day you first heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth [becoming thoroughly and deeply acquainted with it].

who also declared to us the love you bear to us upon a spiritual account.

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

so that you might live in a manner worthy of the Lord and be fully pleasing to him as you bear fruit while doing all kinds of good things and growing in the full knowledge of God.

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

for by him were all things created, things that are in heaven, and things that are in earth: things visible, and things invisible: whether they be majesty or lordship, either rule or power.

And, he, is the head of the body, the assembly, Who is the beginning, Firstborn from among the dead, in order that, he, might become, in all things, himself, pre-eminent; -

But now he has reconciled you to himself by the sacrifice of Christ's earthly body in death--it has pleased God that you should stand in his presence holy, pure, and blameless,

Whereunto also I toil, combating according to his working, which works in me in power.

Because they are united in love, I pray that their hearts may be encouraged by all the riches that come from a complete understanding of the full knowledge of the Messiah, who is the mystery of God.

For even though I am absent [from you] in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, delighted to see your good discipline [as you stand shoulder to shoulder and form a solid front] and to see the stability of your faith in Christ [your steadfast reliance on Him and your unwavering confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].

See that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

When you were buried with the Messiah in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

and hath spoiled rule and power, and hath made a show of them openly, and hath triumphed over them in his own person.

And not having power over the Head, from whom all the body, by all the senses of touch and connections furnished and joined together, increases with the increase of God.

So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centered instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God].

and you also were once addicted to them, while you were living under their power.

So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper];

You must bear with one another and forgive one another, if anyone has reason to be offended with anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive.

Devote yourselves to prayer. Be alert and thankful when you pray.

At the same time pray for us, too, that God will open a door [of opportunity] to us for the word, to proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I have been imprisoned;

Pray that I may make it known as I should.

For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

This greeting [is being written] by me, Paul, in my own handwriting. Remember my imprisonment. [Note: This was probably a request for them to pray for him]. May God's favor be with you.

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

For the word of the Lord has resounded from you and has echoed [like thunder], not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place [the news of] your [great] faith in God has spread, so that we never need to say anything about it.

Never at any time, as you know, did we use the language of flattery, or make false professions in order to hide selfish aims. God will bear witness to that.

we never sought honour from men, from you or from anybody else, though as apostles of Christ we had the power of claiming to be men of weight;

You and God are witnesses of how pure, honest, and blameless our conduct was among you who believe.

And we also thank God continually for this, that when you received the word of God [concerning salvation] which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its inherent, supernatural power in those of faith].

For you, brothers, followed the example of God's churches in Judea that are in union with Christ Jesus, for you in your turn had to bear the same ill-treatment from your neighbors as they did from the Jews,

who killed the Lord Jesus and the [Old Testament] prophets and also drove us [apostles] out [of Thessalonica and Berea. See Acts 17]. They are not pleasing to God and are hostile to all people,

Therefore [when we] could bear [it] no longer, we determined to be left behind in Athens alone,

For this reason, when I could no longer endure the suspense, I sent someone to find out about your faith [how you were holding up under pressure], for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our work [among you] would prove to be ineffective.

We continue to pray night and day most earnestly that we may see you face to face, and may complete whatever may be imperfect and lacking in your faith.

so that He may strengthen and establish your hearts without blame in holiness in the sight of our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints (God’s people).

Finally therefore, brethren, we pray you and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how it behooves you to walk about and to please God, as you do indeed walk about, in order that you may abound more and more.

For this is the will of God, that you be sanctified [separated and set apart from sin]: that you abstain and back away from sexual immorality;

that each of you learn to take a wife for himself from pure and honorable motives,

God has not called us to an unclean life, but to a pure one.

So whoever rejects and disregards this is not [merely] rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you [to dwell in you and empower you to overcome temptation].

so that you will behave properly toward outsiders [exhibiting good character, personal integrity, and moral courage worthy of the respect of the outside world], and be dependent on no one and in need of nothing [be self-supporting].

For if we have faith that Jesus underwent death and came back again, even so those who are sleeping will come again with him by God's power.

But you, believers, [all you who believe in Christ as Savior and acknowledge Him as God’s Son] are not in spiritual darkness [nor held by its power], that the day [of judgment] would overtake you [by surprise] like a thief;

For God has not pre-destined us to meet His anger, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ;

Pray without ceasing.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Brethren, pray for us.

so that we ourselves do glory in you in the assemblies of God, for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye bear;

and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire,

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

[We pray this] so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored by you, and that you will be honored by Him, according to the unearned favor of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

So now you know the power that is holding him back, that he is to be unveiled at His own appointed time.

For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work. However, the one who holds him back will do so until he is taken out of the way,

Then shall the Lawless One be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his lips and quell by his appearing and arrival ??9 that One whose arrival is due to Satan's activity, with the full power, the miracles and portents, of falsehood,

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

And for this cause, God will give them up to the power of deceit and they will put their faith in what is false:

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

Also pray that we may be rescued from worthless and evil people, since not everyone holds to the faith.

Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

and studying myths and interminable genealogies; such studies bear upon speculations rather than on the divine order which belongs to faith.

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me power, that he has counted me faithful, appointing to ministry him

it is good to pray thus, it is acceptable to our Saviour,

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

It is needful also that he bear a good character with people outside the Church, lest he fall into reproach or a snare of the Devil.

Likewise the deacons must be serious, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not desirous of filthy gain: Holding fast the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

through the hypocrisy of speakers of lies, who bear a brand on their own conscience,

Neglect not the power which in thee, which was given thee by the gift of prophecy, with the putting on of hands of the council of elders.

[to] older women as [you would to] mothers; [to] the younger women as [you would to] your sisters, in a [morally] pure way.

I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

Keep yourself pure. No longer drink water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and on account of your frequent sickness.

The sins of some people are conspicuous, leading the way for them into judgment [so that they are clearly not qualified for ministry]; but the sins of others appear later [for they are hidden and follow behind them].

Those who want to be rich fall into the snares of temptation, and become the prey of many foolish and harmful ambitions, which plunge people into Destruction and Ruin.

I charge you--as in the presence of God who gives life to all creatures, and of Christ Jesus who at the bar of Pontius Pilate made a noble profession of faith--

that you keep the commandment, spotless and pure, unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

whose advent HE will in his own time display, WHO is perfectly happy, who alone is omnipotent, the king of kings, and the lord of all that bear rule;

Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

I remember your sincere and unqualified faith [the surrendering of your entire self to God in Christ with confident trust in His power, wisdom and goodness, a faith] which first lived in [the heart of] your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am confident that it is in you as well.

For this reason I say to you, Let that grace of God which is in you, given to you by my hands, have living power.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

but now made visible through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. He has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel!

That indeed is the reason why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know in whom my trust reposes, and I am confident that He has it in His power to keep what I have entrusted to Him safe until that day.

Join the ranks of those who bear suffering, like a loyal soldier of Christ Jesus.

Consider what I say, for I pray that the Lord may give you understanding in all things.

Bear in mind Jesus Christ of the seed of David, as raised from the dead, according to my gospel;

I therefore bear with every thing for the sake of the converts, that they may obtain that salvation, which Jesus Christ has procur'd us, even eternal glory.

If therefore a man preserve himself pure from these things, he shall be a vessel for honour, sanctified and highly useful to the master, ready for every good work.

Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear].

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

They are the kind of men who make their way into people's houses and make captives of poor, weak women, loaded down with their sins and under the control of all sorts of impulses,