All this accords with the loving-kindness which God lavished upon us, accompanied by countless gifts of wisdom and discernment,

He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ,

[He did this] to fulfill His plan at the proper time, by bringing together everything [in the universe] under Christ's headship --- things both in heaven and on earth.

In him, I say, for by our union with him we became God's Heritage, having from the first been destined for this in the intention of him who, in all that happens, is carrying out his own fixed purpose;

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

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,

and what God's tremendous power [working] in us believers is. [This power is] the same as that utilized by God's mighty strength,

He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens—

Over-above all principality, authority, and power, and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the coming one,

And you being dead in trespasses and sins,??2 in which you formerly walked according to the life of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit which now operates in the children of disobedience,

in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].

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].

[and He did this] so that in the ages to come He might [clearly] show the immeasurable and unsurpassed riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [by providing for our redemption].

For, by his favour, have ye been saved, through means of faith, and this hath come to pass - not from you, of God, the free-gift!

For we [Christians] are the product of God's workmanship, [re-] created in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus for [the purpose of] doing good deeds. God had previously determined that this should be our practice.

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;

remember, I say, that ye were at that time without Christ, and were reputed aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and were strangers from the testaments of promise, and had no hope, and were without God in this world.

when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace,

He did this so that He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross and put the hostility to death by it.

In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

For this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you the nations: -

For by revelation showed he this mystery unto me, as I wrote above in few words,

By referring to this, when you read it you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

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;

[it is this:] that the Gentiles are now joint heirs [with the Jews] and members of the same body, and joint partakers [sharing] in the [same divine] promise in Christ Jesus through [their faith in] the good news [of salvation].

Of this [gospel] I was made a minister by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power.

Unto me - the less than least of all saints, was given this favour, unto the nations, to announce the glad-message of the untraceable riches of the Christ,

and to make clear how is to be carried out the trusteeship of this secret which has for ages been hidden away in God, the Creator of all things,

This is so God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.

This is in accordance with [the terms of] the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

In him we have this fearless confidence and boldness of access through our faith in him.

For this reason it is my prayer that you may not become feeble because of my troubles for you, which are your glory.

For this cause, I bow my knees unto the Father, -

Be ye rooted and grounded in social virtue, that you may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of this mystery:

I then, the prisoner in the Lord, make this request from my heart, that you will see that your behaviour is a credit to the position which God's purpose has given you,

Now to each one of us was given this grace, according to the measure of Christ's gift.

For this reason he says, He went up on high, taking his prisoners with him, and gave freely to men.

Now this, He ascended; what is it, - save - that he also descended into the under parts of the earth?

And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

So that we may be no longer children, sent this way and that, turned about by every wind of teaching, by the twisting and tricks of men, by the deceits of error;

This, therefore, am I saying and protesting in the Lord: - that, no longer, ye walk even as, the nations, walk - in the vanity of their minds,

for their [moral] understanding is darkened and their reasoning is clouded; [they are] alienated and self-banished from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the [willful] ignorance and spiritual blindness that is [deep-seated] within them, because of the hardness and insensitivity of their heart.

For this was not the teaching of Christ which was given to you;

if at least you have heard His voice and in Him have been taught--and this is true Christian teaching--

For this reason, laying aside falsehood, every one of you should speak the truth to his fellow man; for we are, as it were, parts of one another.

Let no filthy talk be heard from your mouths, but only what is good for building up people and meeting the need of the moment. This way you will administer grace to those who hear you.

For, this, ye know, if ye take note - that no fornicator, or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God.

But when all [such] things are exposed by the light [i.e., the truth], they become [clearly] visible [i.e., their true nature is revealed], for everything so revealed becomes illuminated. [Note: Possibly this means "it is light that clearly reveals everything"].

For this reason it is said, "Awake, thou sleeper! Arise from the dead; And Christ shall shine upon thee!"

For this cause, do not become foolish, but have discernment as to what is the will of the Lord;

and this the burthen of the song, "thanks be to God, even the father, for his son Jesus Christ our Lord."

because a husband is the Head of his wife as Christ also is the Head of the Church, being indeed the Saviour of this His Body.

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

This is the way married men ought to love their wives, as they do their own bodies. The married man who loves his wife is really loving himself,

For this cause, will a man leave his father and his mother, and will cleave unto his wife, and, they two, shall become, one flesh.

This sacred secret, is, great, - I, however, am speaking as to Christ and as tothe assembly; -

Ye children, be obedient unto your parents in the Lord, for this is right:

Honor [esteem, value as precious] your father and your mother [and be respectful to them]—this is the first commandment with a promise—

And you fathers [Note: This word probably includes both parents], do not stir up your children to become angry, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will.

Knowing that whatever good thing each may do, he will receive this from the Lord, whether bondman or freeman.

Because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but, against the principalities, against the authorities, against the world-holders, of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies.

For this cause, take up the complete armour of God, in order that ye may receive power to withstand in the evil day, and, all things, having accomplished, to stand!

and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

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,

For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.

Whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may get to know the things concerning us, and he may encourage your hearts.

[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.

for what you have contributed to the gospel from the very first day down to this moment;

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.

And, this, I pray - that, your love, may be, yet more and more, pre-eminent in personal knowledge and all perception,

Now I want you to know, believers, that what has happened to me [this imprisonment that was meant to stop me] has actually served to advance [the spread of] the good news [regarding salvation].

My imprisonment in [the cause of] Christ has become common knowledge throughout the whole praetorian (imperial) guard and to everyone else.

And besides this, most of our Brothers have gained confidence in the Lord through my chains, and now venture with far greater freedom to speak of God's Message fearlessly.

the former are preaching Christ from the motive of rivalry, not in sincerity, supposing that this is making it harder for me to bear my imprisonment.

What then? That, in any way, whether in pretext, or in truth, Christ, is declared, and, in this, I rejoice - yea, and will rejoice!

For I know that, this, shall turn unto me for salvation - through your supplication, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, -

It is my own eager expectation and hope, that [looking toward the future] I will not disgrace myself nor be ashamed in anything, but that with courage and the utmost freedom of speech, even now as always, Christ will be magnified and exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain: and if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor:

But, if living in flesh, is Christ , this, unto me, is a fruit of work, - and, what I shall choose, I make not known:

But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, 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;

Only [be sure to] lead your lives in a manner [that will be] worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I do come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit [and one purpose], with one mind striving side by side [as if in combat] for the faith of the gospel.

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;

This also is of God. For to you it is given, with regard to Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him:

fill my joy, that you may think the same thing, having the same divine love, being like-minded, thinking this one thing;

Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility],

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];

More than this, after he had shone himself in human form, he humbled himself in his obedience even to death; yes, and to death on a cross.

For this reason God has put him in the highest place and has given to him the name which is greater than every name;

[This was] so that, in [honor of] the name of Jesus, everyone's knee in heaven, on earth and under the earth [i.e., all rational creatures] should bow [i.e., before God],

for it is God who in his goodwill enables you to will this and to achieve it.

because of this do ye also rejoice and joy with me.

Indeed therefore I hope to send this man immediately, whenever I may focus on the things concerning me.

For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice when you see him again and I may be less anxious.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a protection for you.

and to be found in [fellowship with] Him, not having a righteousness of my own, acquired by observing the law of Moses, but one acquired through believing in Christ. This righteousness, which comes from God, is based on faith.

Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.