For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.

For behold what this very thing, godly sorrow, has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what readiness to see justice done! At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, he would also complete in you this work of grace.

But as you excel in everythingin faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in your love for ussee that you excel in this work of grace also.

I am not speaking this as a command, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.

And in this matter I give my advice: it is best for you now to complete what a year ago you began not only to do but to desire.

and not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work which we are carrying on, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.

We intend that no one should blame us about this liberal gift which we are administering,

But I am sending the brethren so that our boasting about you may not prove vain in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be;

So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren to go on to you before me, and arrange in advance for this gift you have promised, so that it may be ready not as an exaction but as a willing gift.

The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.

Because of the test of this service, you will glorify God by your obedience in your confession of the gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others;

You look at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also are we.

But even if I am unskilled in speech, I am not in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

What I am saying I am not saying as the Lord would, but as a fool, in this confidence of boasting.

And I know that this manwhether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should depart from me.

For in what respect were you inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

I went up because of a revelation; and I set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who were of reputation, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.

This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

What I mean is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.

This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.

Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

This persuasion did not come from him who calls you.

Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God.

For this reason, ever since I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

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

For this reason I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

When you read this, you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace which was given me by the working of his power.

To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

This was according to the eternal purpose which he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds,

But you did not learn Christ in this way,

For of this you can be sure, that no immoral, impure, or covetous personsuch a man is an idolaterhas any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

For this reason it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

"For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

This is a profound mystery; but I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

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

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

Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and petition. And with this in view, keep alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

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 I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

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 this is my prayer, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I do not know.

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,

in no way frightened by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction to them, but of salvation for you and that too, from God.

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

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.

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.

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,

Of this church I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

To them God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

For this end I labor, striving with all his energy, which so mightily works within me.

I say this so that no one may delude you with fine-sounding arguments.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

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

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.

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

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.

for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that is, that you should abstain from sexual immorality;

and that no man transgress and wrong his brother in this matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

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.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

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

This is evidence of God's righteous judgment, so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and may fulfill every good resolve and work of faith by his power,

For this reason God sends upon them a strong delusion so that they will believe what is false,

He called you to this through our gospel, that you may share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If anyone will not work, he shall not eat."

If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed.

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write.

But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.

I give you this command, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies once made about you, that by them you may fight the good fight,

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

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.

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice their religion in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.