But this is not the way you have learned what Christ means,

if, as I take it, you have heard Him and in union with Him have been taught the truth as it is seen in Jesus,

and to have a new attitude of mind

The man who used to steal must now stop stealing; rather, he must keep on working and toiling with his own hands at some honest vocation, so as to have something to contribute to the needy.

You must stop offending the Holy Spirit of God by whom you have been stamped for the day of redemption.

For you may be absolutely sure that no one who is sexually impure, immoral or greedy for gain (for that is idolatry) can have a part in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Spiritual blessing be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.

And I have a right to think this way about you, because I always have you in my heart, whether shut up in prison or out defending and vindicating the good news, for you are sharers with me of God's favor.

Now I want you to rest assured, brothers, that those things which have befallen me have actually resulted in the progress of the good news;

and that most of the Christian brothers have grown confident enough, because of my imprisonment, to dare to tell God's message without being afraid.

which will result in your joy; so that, through union with Christ Jesus, you may have more than sufficient ground for boasting about me, through my being with you again.

since you are having the same struggle that you once saw me have and which you hear that I am still having.

So, if there is any appeal in our union with Christ, if there is any persuasive power in love, if we have any common share in the Spirit, if you have any tenderheartedness and sympathy,

So, my dearly loved friends, as you have always been obedient, so now with reverence and awe keep on working clear down to the finishing point of your salvation not only as though I were with you but much more because I am away;

For I have no one else with a heart like his who would take such genuine interest in you,

for he has been longing to see you and has been homesick because you have heard that he was sick.

But for Christ's sake I have counted all that was gain to me as loss.

Yes, indeed, I certainly do count everything as loss compared with the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have lost everything, and value it all as mere refuse, in order to gain Christ

It is not a fact that I have already secured it or already reached perfection, but I am pressing on to see if I can capture it, the ideal for which I was captured by Christ Jesus.

Brothers, I do not think that I have captured it yet, but here is my one aspiration, so forgetting what is behind me and reaching out for what is ahead of me,

So let us all who are mature have this attitude. If you have a different attitude, God will make it clear to you.

However, we must continue to live up to that degree of success that we have already reached.

Follow my example, brothers, and keep your eyes on those who practice living by the pattern we have set you.

For there are many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you in tears, who practice living as the enemies of the cross of Christ.

I was made very happy as a Christian to have your interest in my welfare revived again after so long; because you have always had the interest but not the opportunity to show it.

Not that I refer to any personal want, for I have learned to be contented in whatever circumstances I am.

I know how to live in lowly circumstances and I know how to live in plenty. I have learned the secret, in all circumstances, of either getting a full meal or of going hungry, of living in plenty or being in want.

I have received your payment in full, and more too. I am amply supplied after getting the things you sent by Epaphroditus; they are like sweet incense, the kind of sacrifice that God accepts and approves.

because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all God's people,

This is why, ever since I heard of it, I have never ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you, through full wisdom and spiritual insight, with a clear knowledge of His will,

for it was through Him that everything was created in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.

if indeed you continue well grounded and firm in faith and never shift from the hope inspired by the good news you heard, which has been preached all over the world, and of which I, Paul, have been made a minister.

In it I have been made a minister in accordance with the trusteeship God entrusted to me for you, that I might prove among you the universal message of God,

I want you to know what a battle I am fighting for you and for those in Laodicea, yes, for all who have never known me personally,

Such practices have the outward expression of wisdom, with their self-imposed devotions, their self-humiliation, their torturings of the body, but they are of no value; they really satisfy the lower nature.

So if you have been raised to life in fellowship with Christ, keep on seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

for you have died, and your life is now hidden in God through your fellowship with Christ.

Stop lying to one another, for you have stripped off the old self with its practices,

and have put on the new self which is in the process of being made new in the likeness of its Creator, so that you may attain a perfect knowledge of Him.

Masters, you must practice doing the right and square things by your slaves, for you know that you have a Master in heaven.

in order to make it evident why I have to tell it.

So does Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only converts from Judaism that are fellow-workers with me here for the kingdom of God, who have proved a real comfort to me.

When this letter has been read to you, have it read to the church at Laodicea too, and see to it that you too read the one that is coming from Laodicea.

for since we have been so approved by God as to be entrusted with the good news, we are now telling it, not to please men but God, who proves and finds approved our hearts.

We never sought praise from men, either from you or from anyone else; although as apostles we could have stood on our official dignity.

For you, brothers, followed the example of God's churches in Judea that are in union with Christ Jesus, for you too have suffered the same sort of ill-treatment at the hands of your fellow-countrymen as they did at the hands of the Jews,

this is the very reason, namely, through your faith, brothers, that I have been encouraged about you, in spite of all my distresses and crushing difficulties,

For how can I render God enough thanks for you, for all the joy I have on account of you in the presence of our God,

Now as to brotherly love, you have no need of anyone's writing you, for you have yourselves been taught by God to love one another,

Also we do not want you to have any misunderstanding, brothers, about those who are falling asleep, so as to keep you from grieving over them as others do who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then through Jesus, God will bring back with Him those who have fallen asleep.

For on the Lord's own authority we say that those of us who may be left behind and are still living when the Lord comes back, will have no advantage at all over those who have fallen asleep.

But as to times and dates, brothers, you have no need of anyone's writing you,

I solemnly charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

so that all who have refused to believe the truth but have chosen unrighteousness instead might be condemned.

So then, brothers, continue to stand firm and keep a tight grip on the teachings you have received from us, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

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

We have confidence in you through the Lord that you are now practicing the directions which we give you and that you will continue to do so.

Not that I have no right to be supported, but to make myself an example for you to follow.

If anyone refuses to obey what we have said in this letter, mark that person and stop having anything to do with him, so that he will feel ashamed of it.

Some people have stepped aside from these things and turned to fruitless talking.

as measured by the glorious good news of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

by keeping your hold on faith and a good conscience; for some have thrust the latter aside and so have made shipwreck of their faith.

Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have turned over to Satan to be so disciplined that they will stop their abusive speech.

So the pastor must be a man above reproach, must have only one wife, must be temperate, sensible, well-behaved, hospitable, skillful in teaching;

He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, or else he may incur reproach and fall into the devil's trap.

A deacon too must have only one wife, and manage his children and household well.

who forbid people to marry and teach them to abstain from certain sorts of food which God created for the grateful enjoyment of those who have faith and a clear knowledge of the truth.

If you continue to put these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, ever feeding your own soul on the truths of the faith and of the fine teaching which you have followed.

To this end we are toiling and struggling, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers.

No widow under sixty years of age should be put on this roll. A widow must have had but one husband,

must have a reputation for doing good deeds, as bringing up children, being hospitable to strangers, washing the feet of God's people, helping people in distress, or devoting herself to any sort of doing good.

So I would have the younger women marry, have children, and keep house, so as not to give our opponents any occasion for slander.

For some widows have already turned aside to follow Satan.

Those who have Christian masters must not pay them less respect because they are brothers; they must serve them all the better, because those who get the benefit of their service are believers and so are dear to them. These are the things that you must continue to teach and urge them to do.

If we have food and clothes we will be satisfied.

For the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, and some men in reaching after riches have wandered from the faith and pierced their hearts with many a pang.

by professing which some individuals have failed in the faith. Spiritual blessing be with you all.

Of this good news I have been appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.

This is why I am suffering so, but I am not ashamed of it, for I know whom I have trusted and I am absolutely sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

This message is to be trusted: "If we indeed have died with Him, we will live with Him too.

who have missed the truth by saying that the resurrection has already taken place, are undermining some people's faith.

and they might recover their senses and escape from the devil's trap in which they have been caught by him to do his will.

But you, on your part, have faithfully followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,

But you, on your part, must continue to abide by what you have learned and been led to rely upon, because you know from whom you learned it

and that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures which can give you wisdom that leads to salvation through the faith that leans on Christ Jesus.

I have fought the fight for the good, I have run my race, I have kept faith.

Now the crown for doing right awaits me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day, and not only me but also all who have loved His appearing.

and I have sent Tychicus off to Ephesus.

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that the message preached by me might have its full effect and all the heathen might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's jaws.

but at the proper time made known as His message through the message that I preach with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Saviour;

each elder must be above reproach, have only one wife, and his children must not be liable to the charge of profligacy or disobedience.

Constantly remind people to submit to and obey the rulers who have authority over them, so as to be ready for any good enterprise,

When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.

because I continue to hear of the love and faith you have in the Lord Jesus and all His people,

Yes, I have felt great joy and encouragement over your love, because the hearts of God's people have been refreshed by you, my brother.

So, although through union with Christ I have full freedom to order you to do your duty,

yes, I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I have become while wearing these chains.

I would have liked to keep him with me, to wait on me in your stead while I wear these chains for the good news,

For perhaps it was for this reason that he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,