For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any power, nor uncircumcision; but faith being energetic through love.

[Your] being persuaded [to do this] was not motivated by God, who called you [into His fellowship].

Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.

And, if, by Spirit, ye are being led, ye are not under law.

We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another.

Brothers, if any one of you is overwhelmed by a [particular] sin, those of you who are spiritually minded should [attempt to] restore such a person [to faithfulness]. But do it in a gentle way, being very careful that you yourself do not become tempted [to get involved in any sin].

For if any man reputes himself to be something, being nothing, he deceives himself;

Howbeit, let him who is being orally instructed in the word, have fellowship with him that is so instructing him, in all good things.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap.

And doing good let us not despond: for in proper time we shall reap, not being enervated.

So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).

Those who want to make a good impression in public [before the Jews] try to compel you to be circumcised, just so they will escape being persecuted for [faithfulness to] the cross of Christ.

Even those who are being circumcised, are not themselves keeping the Law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may glory in your flesh.

For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. Rather, what matters is being a new creation.

[This letter is from] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, according to God's will, [and is being sent] to the saints [i.e., God's holy people] at Ephesus [Note: This was a major city in the western province of Asia Minor, and now a part of Turkey. The words "at Ephesus" are omitted in some manuscripts, suggesting it was a circular letter], and the faithful ones in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus [everywhere else ?].

according as He did choose us in him before the foundation of the world, for our being holy and unblemished before Him, in love,

For He pre-destined us to be adopted by Himself as sons through Jesus Christ--such being His gracious will and pleasure--

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

for our being to the praise of His glory, even those who did first hope in the Christ,

that Spirit being a pledge and foretaste of our inheritance, in anticipation of its full redemption--the inheritance which He has purchased to be specially His for the extolling of His glory.

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this world, but also in the coming age.

which is His body, that is being filled by Him who fills everything everywhere.

and you, being dead in your offences and sins --

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].

but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

(we too being dead in offences,) has quickened us with the Christ, (ye are saved by grace,)

And He raised us up together with Him [when we believed], and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, [because we are] in Christ Jesus,

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

and now, in Christ Jesus, ye being once afar off became nigh in the blood of the Christ,

and being come, he preached the glad tidings of peace to YOU who were afar off, and to US that were nigh.

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

The whole building, being put together by Him, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord.

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

[Note: Paul here digresses from his prayer, begun in 1:15-16, to explain the circumstances of his being a prisoner on behalf of these Gentiles]. [I assume] you have heard about my commission [to minister] to you, which was given to me by God's unearned favor.

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;

To me, [though I am] the very least of all the saints (God’s people), this grace [which is undeserved] was graciously given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the incomprehensible riches of Christ [that spiritual wealth which no one can fully understand],

This was done so that now God's many-sided wisdom could be made known through the church, to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms [Note: "Heavenly realms" here refers to the world around us, where these angelic beings (good or bad) view the unfolding of God's wonderful plan],

May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality],

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

that, being rooted and founded in love, you may be fully able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and hight,

and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

And to him being able to do above all things more abundantly above what we ask or think, according to the power being energetic in us,

being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of the peace;

being one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.

And He gave some people [the gift of being] apostles; and some people prophets; and some people evangelists; and some people pastors [i.e., elders] and teachers,

till being united in a perfect belief, and acknowledgment of the son of God, we grow up to that full state of maturity required by Christ:

and, being true in love, we may increase to Him in all things, who is the head -- the Christ;

from whom the whole body, being fitly joined together and united, through the supply of every joint, according to the working in the measure of each single part, the increase of the body doth make for the building up of itself in love.

Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

[that] you take off, according to your former way of life, the old man, who is being destroyed according to deceitful desires,

and being renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ].

You must practice being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has graciously forgiven you.

But fornication, and all impurity, or inordinate desire, let it not be approved by you, as being unworthy of christians: neither ribaldry,

Being certain of this, that no man who gives way to the passions of the flesh, no unclean person, or one who has desire for the property of others, or who gives worship to images, has any heritage in the kingdom of Christ and God.

you were heretofore altogether in the dark, but now being enlightned by the Lord, behave as children of light:

For it is shameful even to speak [about] the things being [done] by them in secret,

But all things being exposed by the light are made evident.

Stop getting drunk with wine, which leads to wild living, but keep on being filled with the Spirit.

being subject to one another {out of reverence for} Christ

For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body.

Even so husbands should and are morally obligated to love their own wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.

because we are members of his body, being of his flesh, and of his bones.

However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].

not {while being watched}, as people pleasers, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart,

put on the whole armour of God, for your being able to stand against the wiles of the devil,

For our struggle is not [actually] against human beings, but against rulers and authorities and leaders of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [Note: "Heavenly realms" here refers to the struggle against Satanic powers which permeates life around us].

Stand therefore, being girded about as to your loins with truth, and being invested with the breastplate of righteousness,

and being firm-footed in the gospel of peace.

with all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and to this [end] being alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

[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.

from the first day to the present time. being persuaded that

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

according as it is righteous for me to think this in behalf of you all, because of my having you in the heart, both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the good news, all of you being fellow-partakers with me of grace.

that being capable to distinguish what is best, you may remain stedfastly sincere until the day of Christ,

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

so that my bonds have become manifest as being in Christ in all the praetorium and to all others;

and that most of the brethren in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

What then [does it matter]? So long as in every way, whether in pretense [for self-promotion] or in all honesty [to spread the truth], Christ is being preached; and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will rejoice [later as well],

For I know that, through your requests [in prayer] for me and the help provided by the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, this situation will result in my being rescued [i.e., released from imprisonment].

But I am pressed by both, having the desire for departure and being with Christ, for it is very much better,

and my inclination to abide in this life, as being more advantageous for YOU:

and of this being persuaded, I have known that I shall remain and continue with you all, to your advancement and joy of the faith,

so that, as Christians, you may have additional reason for glorying about me as the result of my being with you again.

Only worthily of the good news of the Christ conduct ye yourselves, that, whether having come and seen you, whether being absent I may hear of the things concerning you, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul, striving together for the faith of the good news,

not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your deliverance—and this is from God.

being engag'd in the same conflict, in which you saw I was formerly, and hear that I am at present engag'd.

If then I can appeal to you as the followers of Christ, if there is any persuasive power in love and any common sharing of the Spirit, or if you have any tender-heartedness and compassion, make my joy complete by being of one mind,

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Do nothing in a spirit of factiousness or of vainglory, but, with true humility, let every one regard the rest as being of more account than himself;

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of heavenly and earthly and infernal beings,

But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and rejoice with all of you.

But I am fully persuaded in [harmony with the wishes of] the Lord that I, myself, also will go to you soon. [Note: Paul here expresses the hope of being released from imprisonment, in spite of previous hints that he might be put to death. See 1:20; 2:17].

For we are the circumcision, men who worship in spirit to God, and who boast in Christ Jesus, and not being confident in flesh.