I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

Brethren, I beg you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong;

What has become of the satisfaction you felt? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen away from grace.

I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine; and the one who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

But let each one test his own work, and then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in his neighbor.

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will,

In him, you also have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having also believed, you were sealed in him with the promised Holy Spirit,

even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ.

for through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you,

that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.

in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him.

may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, greedy for the practice of every kind of impurity.

assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but rather must labor, doing useful work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with those in need.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.

For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.

and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have been encouraged to speak the word of God without fear.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

I have no one else like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.

Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may have less anxiety.

though I myself have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:

More than that, I count everything to be loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Not that I have already obtained this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Brethren, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

Let those of us who are mature have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you.

Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who live according to the pattern you have in us.

For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Yes, and I ask you also, true yoke-fellow, to help these women who have struggled at my side in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you had no opportunity.

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

I know how to be in need, and I also know how to have plenty; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and want.

I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints,

because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel

For this reason also, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might have the first place in everything.

if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a minister.

For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh,

that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in love, to have all the riches of assured understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself,

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live in him,

and you have been made complete in him, who is the head over all rule and authority.

These indeed have an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices

and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;

My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, and also Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you have received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him.)

and also Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved to be a comfort to me.

When this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read the letter from Laodicea.

Say to Archippus, "See to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it."

For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we have no need to say anything.

but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts.

nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.

so that no one would be unsettled by these afflictions. You yourselves know that we have been destined for this.

For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.

Now concerning love of the brethren you have no need to have any one write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another;

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

Now as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you.

I charge you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.

when he comes to be glorified in his saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believedbecause our testimony to you was believed.

and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith.

And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will continue to do the things which we command.

We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow.

For some men have wandered away from these things and turned aside to fruitless discussion,

according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

holding faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and made shipwreck of their faith.

Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.

I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.

He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

For those who have served well as deacons gain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

through the pretensions of liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron,

If you point out these things to the brethren, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the good doctrine which you have followed.

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself in godliness.

For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you through prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

thus bringing condemnation, because they have set aside their first pledge.

So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their homes, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach.

For some have already turned aside to follow Satan.

Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but they must serve them all the better, because those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these duties.

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