But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us,

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we would walk in them.

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands

by abolishing in his flesh the hostility, which is the Law of commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,

and might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, by which he put to death the hostility.

which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

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.

and to make plain to everyone the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;

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

Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations for you, which are your glory.

and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

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

You were taught, with regard to your former manner of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful lusts;

And there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather let there be thanksgiving.

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is himself the Savior.

"Honor your father and mother" (which is the first commandment with a promise),

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

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

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.

having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

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

Therefore God also highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith,

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.

But our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.

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

which has come to you, just as in all the world it is bearing fruit and growing, even as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth;

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.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share for the sake of his body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.

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.

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

having canceled the certificate of debt, which stood against us with its decrees. He took what was hostile away from us, nailing it to the cross.

(referring to things which are all destined perish with use), according to human commandments and teachings?

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and greed, which is idolatry.

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

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

And pray for us as well, that God may open a door to us for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains,

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

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.

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea, for you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,

For what thanksgiving can we render to God for you in return for all the joy which we feel for your sake before our God,

Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you are enduring.

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.

So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

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

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who is living in idleness and not according to the tradition which you received from us.

wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

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.

if I am delayed, you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

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.

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

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness,

he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, which produce envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions,

Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

which he will bring about at the proper timehe who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that life which is life indeed.

which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you.

For I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am sure is in you as well.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and the grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

Follow the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

for which I am suffering even to the point of wearing chains like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.

Remind them of these things, and charge them in the presence of God to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.

and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth which leads to godliness,

in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,

and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior,

he saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but because of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit,

because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints,

For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my son, today I have begotten you"? And again, "I will be a father to him and he shall be a son to me"?

But to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a stool for your feet"?

For it is not to angels that he subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking.

but Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold fast to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.

About this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

For land which drinks the rain that often falls upon it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.

For God is not so unjust as to forget your work and the love which you have shown for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.

so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.

(for the law made nothing perfect); and on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

a minister in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle which is set up by the Lord, not by man.

They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary; for when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was instructed by God, saying, "See that you make everything according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain."

But as it is, he has obtained a ministry which is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

For there was a tabernacle prepared, the first one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place.

having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, which contained a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

But into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

This is symbolic for the present time. According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,

saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you."

For since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices which are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near.

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.