Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord,

because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church -- he himself being the savior of the body.

But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her

so that he may present the church to himself as glorious -- not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church,

Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ,

not like those who do their work only when someone is watching -- as people-pleasers -- but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart.

Obey with enthusiasm, as though serving the Lord and not people,

for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak.

My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die.

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.

Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.

who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped,

As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,

So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence,

so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world

So I hope to send him as soon as I know more about my situation,

I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee.

But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ.

More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things -- indeed, I regard them as dung! -- that I may gain Christ,

Be imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and watch carefully those who are living this way, just as you have us as an example.

And as you Philippians know, at the beginning of my gospel ministry, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in this matter of giving and receiving except you alone.

that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growing among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things.

And you were at one time strangers and enemies in your minds as expressed through your evil deeds,

Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,

rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world?

These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are on human commands and teachings.

But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.

Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful.

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people,

because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.

Pray that I may make it known as I should.

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him).

And after you have read this letter, have it read to the church of Laodicea. In turn, read the letter from Laodicea as well.

We thank God always for all of you as we mention you constantly in our prayers,

As a result you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

But although we suffered earlier and were mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of much opposition.

but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts.

For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed -- God is our witness --

although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became little children among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children,

For you recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe.

As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children,

And so we too constantly thank God that when you received God's message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, God's message, which is at work among you who believe.

For you became imitators, brothers and sisters, of God's churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they in fact did from the Jews,

For in fact when we were with you, we were telling you in advance that we would suffer affliction, and so it has happened, as you well know.

But now Timothy has come to us from you and given us the good news of your faith and love and that you always think of us with affection and long to see us just as we also long to see you!

And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you,

Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more.

In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly.

to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you.

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

For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night.

So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober.

But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation.

Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who labor among you and preside over you in the Lord and admonish you,

As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring.

Now regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,

He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, and as a result he takes his seat in God's temple, displaying himself as God.

and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.

Finally, pray for us, brothers and sisters, that the Lord's message may spread quickly and be honored as in fact it was among you,

It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate.

Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

As I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia, stay on in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings,

But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.

who gave himself as a ransom for all, revealing God's purpose at his appointed time.

but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God.

And these also must be tested first and then let them serve as deacons if they are found blameless.

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

Do not address an older man harshly but appeal to him as a father. Speak to younger men as brothers,

older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters -- with complete purity.

and has a reputation for good works: as one who has raised children, practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, helped those in distress -- as one who has exhibited all kinds of good works.

Those guilty of sin must be rebuked before all, as a warning to the rest.

Those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent the name of God and Christian teaching from being discredited.

But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.

In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.

I am thankful to God, whom I have served with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, when I remember you in my prayers as I do constantly night and day.

As I remember your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.

Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know the one in whom my faith is set and I am convinced that he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me until that day.

And entrust what you heard me say in the presence of many others as witnesses to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well.

Take your share of suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he will not be crowned as the winner unless he competes according to the rules.

for which I suffer hardship to the point of imprisonment as a criminal, but God's message is not imprisoned!

Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately.

And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people -- who have warped minds and are disqualified in the faith -- also oppose the truth.

as well as the persecutions and sufferings that happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra. I endured these persecutions and the Lord delivered me from them all.

For I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for me to depart is at hand.

The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

For the overseer must be blameless as one entrusted with God's work, not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain.

He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it.

But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with sound teaching.