PHILIPPIANS

GREETING

1 Paula and Timothy,b servants of Christ Jesus:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,c including the overseersd and deacons.e

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER

3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,A 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first dayf until now.g 6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good workh in youB will carry it on to completioni until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 Indeed, it is rightj for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart,C and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonmentk and in the defensel and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness,m how deeply I miss all of youn with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And I pray this: that your loveo will keep on growingp in knowledge and every kind of discernment,q 10 so that you may approve the things that are superiorr and may be pures and blamelesst in the day of Christ,u 11 filled with the fruitv of righteousnessw that comes through Jesus Christ to the gloryx and praise of God.

ADVANCE OF THE GOSPEL

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel,y 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. 14 Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the wordD,z fearlessly. 15 To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry,aa but others out of good will. 16 These preach out of love,ab knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition,ac not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment. 18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motivesad or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice 19 because I know this will lead to my salvationE,ae through your prayers and help from the Spiritaf of Jesus Christ.ag 20 My eager expectation and hopeah is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all courage, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by lifeai or by death.aj

LIVING IS CHRIST

21 For me, to live is Christak and to die is gain.al 22 Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitfulam workan for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. 23 I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christao—which is far betterap—24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,aq 26 so that, because of my coming to you again, your boastingar in Christ Jesusas may abound.

27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your lifeat worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firmau in oneav spirit, in one accord,F contending together for the faithaw of the gospel, 28 not being frightened in any way by your opponents.ax This is a sign of destruction for them,ay but of your salvationaz—and this is from God. 29 For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believeba in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are engaged in the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.

CHRISTIAN HUMILITY

2 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love,a if any fellowship with the Spirit,b if any affection and mercy,c 2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way,d having the same love,e united in spirit, intent on onef purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambitiong or conceit,h but in humilityi consider others as more importantj than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests,k but rather to the interests of others.l

CHRIST’S HUMILITY AND EXALTATION

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider equality with Godm

as something to be exploited.A

7 Instead he emptied himselfn

by assuming the form of a servant,o

taking on the likeness of humanity.p

And when he had come as a man,

8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient

to the point of death—

even to death on a cross.q

9 For this reason God highly exalted himr

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee will bows—

in heavent and on earth

and under the earthu—

11 and every tonguev will confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the gloryw of God the Father.

LIGHTS IN THE WORLD

12 Therefore, my dear friends,x just as you have always obeyed,y so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumblingz and arguing,aa 15 so that you may be blamelessab and pure,ac children of God who are faultlessad in a crookedae and pervertedaf generation,ag among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the wordah of life. Then I can boastai in the day of Christaj that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured outak as a drink offeringal on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

TIMOTHY AND EPAPHRODITUS

19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesusam to send Timothyan to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. 20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21 all seek their own interests,ao not those of Jesus Christ.ap 22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.aq

25 But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditusar—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my needas—26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30 because he came close to death for the workat of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.

KNOWING CHRIST

3 In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoiceau in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.

2 Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evilav workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision,aw the ones who worship by the Spiritax of God, boast in Christ Jesus,ay and do not put confidence in the flesh—4 although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day;az of the nation of Israel,a of the tribe of Benjamin,b a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law,c a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal,d persecutinge the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law,f blameless.g

7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing valueh of knowing Christi Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christj 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law,k but one that is through faith in ChristA—the righteousness from God based on faith.l 10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings,m being conformed to his death,n 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

REACHING FORWARD TO GOD’S GOAL

12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take holdo of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do notB consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behindp and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenlyC call in Christ Jesus.q 15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will revealr this also to you. 16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. 17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the crosss of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their gloryt is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things, 20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his gloriousu body,v by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.

4 So then, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown,w in this manner stand firmx in the Lord, dear friends.

PRACTICAL COUNSEL

2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, true partner,D to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousnessE be known to everyone. The Lord is near.y 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpassesz all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.aa

8 FinallyF brothers and sisters, whatever is true,ab whatever is honorable,ac whatever is just,ad whatever is pure,ae whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellenceaf and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and receivedag and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

APPRECIATION OF SUPPORT

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once againah you renewed your care for me.ai You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it. 11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. 12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot.aj In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through himG who strengthens me.ak 14 Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship.

15 And you Philippiansal know that in the early days of the gospel,am when I left Macedonia,an no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 16 For even in Thessalonicaao you sent gifts for my needap several times. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profitH,aq that is increasing to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full,a and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied,A having received from Epaphroditusb what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasingc to God. 19 And my Godd will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Fathere be glory forever and ever.f Amen.g

FINAL GREETINGS

21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you greetings. 22 All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’sh household.i 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.B,j

COLOSSIANS

GREETING

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will,a and Timothyb our brother:

2 To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.A

THANKSGIVING

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints 5 because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the word of truth,c the gospel 6 that has come to you. It is bearing fruitd and growing all over the world,e just as it has among you since the day you heard it and came to truly appreciatef God’s grace.B,g 7 You learned this from Epaphras,h our dearly loved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christi on yourC behalf, 8 and he has told us about your love in the Spirit.j

PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

9 For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are askingk that you may be filled with the knowledgel of his willm in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,D 10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good workn and growing in the knowledge of God,o 11 being strengthenedp with all power,q according to his gloriousr might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled youE to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.s 13 He has rescuedt us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdomu of the Sonv he loves.w 14 In him we have redemption,F the forgiveness of sins.

THE CENTRALITY OF CHRIST

15 He is the image of the invisible God,x

the firstborn over all creation.y

16 For everything was created by him,z

in heaven and on earth,

the visible and the invisible,

whether thrones or dominions

or rulers or authorities—

all things have been created through him and for him.aa

17 He is before all things,ab

and by him all thingsac hold together.

18 He is also the head of the body, the church;

he is the beginning,ad

the firstborn from the dead,ae

so that he might come to have

first place in everything.

19 For God was pleased to have

all his fullnessaf dwell in him,ag

20 and through him to reconcile

everything to himself,

whether things on earth or things in heaven,

by making peaceah

through his blood,ai shed on the cross.G,aj

21 Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. 22 But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death,ak to present you holy, faultless,al and blameless before himam—23 if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faithan and are not shifted away from the hopeao of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creationap under heaven,aq and I, Paul,ar have become a servant of it.

PAUL’S MINISTRY

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferingsas for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body,at that is, the church. 25 I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christa in you, the hopeb of glory. 28 We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 I labor for this, strivingc with his strength that works powerfully in me.d

2 For I want you to know how greatly I am strugglinge for you, for those in Laodicea,f and for all who have not seen me in person. 2 I want their hearts to be encouragedg and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mysteryh—Christ.A,i 3 In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdomj and knowledge.k

CHRIST VERSUS THE COLOSSIAN HERESY

4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable. 5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit,l rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.

6 So then, just as you have receivedm Christ Jesus as Lord,n continue to walk in him, 7 being rooted and built up in himo and established in the faith, just as you were taught,p and overflowing with gratitude.

8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition,q based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.r 9 For the entire fullnesss of God’s nature dwells bodilyB in Christ, 10 and you have been filled by him, who is the headt over every ruler and authority. 11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh,u in the circumcision of Christ,v 12 when you were buried with himw in baptism, in which you were also raised with himx through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.y 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.z 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.C,aa

16 Therefore, don’t let anyone judgeab you in regard to food and drinkac or in the matter of a festival or a new moonad or a Sabbath day.D 17 These are a shadowae of what was to come;af the substance isE Christ.ag 18 Let no one condemnF youah by delighting in ascetic practicesai and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflatedaj by empty notions of their unspiritualG mind. 19 They don’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body,ak nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God.

20 If you died with Christal to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: 21 “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? 22 All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. 23 Although these have a reputation for wisdomam by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.H,an

THE LIFE OF THE NEW MAN

3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.ao 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.ap 3 For you died,aq and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is yourI life, appears,ar then you also will appear with him in glory.as

5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity,at lust,au evil desire, and greed,av which is idolatry.aw 6 Because of these, God’s wrathax is coming upon the disobedient,J 7 and you once walked in these things when you were livingay in them. 8 But now, put awayaz all the following: anger,ba wrath,bb malice,bc slander,bd and filthy language from your mouth.be 9 Do not liebf to one another, since you have put offbg the old selfbh with its practices 10 and have put onbi the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of yourK Creator.bj 11 In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.a

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved,b put on compassion, kindness,c humility,d gentleness,e and patience,f 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.g 14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also calledh in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,A singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the namei of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

CHRIST IN YOUR HOME

18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.j 19 Husbands,k love your wivesl and don’t be bitterm toward them. 20 Children,n obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers,o do not exasperatep your children, so that they won’t become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your humanq masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.r 23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people,s 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoert will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.

4 Masters,u deal with your slaves justly and fairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

SPEAKING TO GOD AND OTHERS

2 Devote yourselvesv to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a doorw to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ,x for which I am in chains,y 4 so that I may make it known as I should. 5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.z 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,aa so that you may know how you should answer each person.ab

FINAL GREETINGS

7 Tychicus,ac our dearly loved brother, faithfulad minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we areB and so that he may encourageae your hearts.af 9 He is coming with Onesimus,ag a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark,ah Barnabas’sai cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcised are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras,aj who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestlingak for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assuredC in everything God wills.al 13 For I testify about him that he works hardD,am for you, for those in Laodicea,an and for those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demasao send you greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her home.ap 16 After this letter has been read at your gathering, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And tell Archippus,aq “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.”ar

18 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains.as Grace be with you.E,at

1 THESSALONIANS

GREETING

1 Paul, Silvanus,* a and Timothy:b

To the church of the Thessaloniansc in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace to you and peace.B

THANKSGIVING

2 We always thank God for all of you, making mention of you constantly in our prayers. 3 We recall, in the presence of our God and Father,d your work produced by faith,e your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.f 4 For we know, brothers and sisters lovedg by God,h that he has chosen you,i 5 because our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit,j and with full assurance. You know how we lived among youk for your benefit, 6 and you yourselves became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the messagel with joy from the Holy Spirit. 7 As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedoniam and Achaia.n 8 For the word of the Lord rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faithC,o in God has gone out. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything, 9 for they themselves reportD what kind of receptionp we had from you: how you turnedq to God from idolsr to serve the livings and truet God 10 and to waitu for his Sonv from heaven, whom he raised from the deadw—Jesus, who rescues usx from the coming wrath.y

PAUL’S CONDUCT

2 For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visitz with you was not without result. 2 On the contrary, after we had previously sufferedaa and were treated outrageously in Philippi,ab as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition. 3 For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurityac or an intent to deceive.ad 4 Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrustedae with the gospel,af so we speak, not to please people, but rather God,ag who examines our hearts.ah 5 For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedyai motivesaj—God is our witnessak—6 and we didn’t seek gloryal from people, either from you or from others. 7 Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles,am instead we were gentleE among you, as a nurseF nurtures her own children. 8 We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. 9 For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers and sisters. Workingan night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you. 10 You are witnesses,ao and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously,ap and blamelesslyaq we conducted ourselves with you believers. 11 As you know, like a father with his own children,ar 12 we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God,as who calls you into his own kingdomat and glory.au

RECEPTION AND OPPOSITION TO THE MESSAGE

13 This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is,av the word of God,aw which also works effectively in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea,ax since you have also suffereday the same things from people of your own country,az just as they did from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesusba and the prophets and persecuted us.bb They displease God and are hostile to everyone, 16 by keeping us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are constantly filling up their sins to the limit,bc and wrath has overtaken them at last.G

PAUL’S DESIRE TO SEE THEM

17 But as for us, brothers and sisters, after we were forced to leave youA for a short time (in person, not in hearta), we greatly desired and made every effort to returnb and see you face to face. 18 So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satanc hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joyd or crowne of boastingf in the presence of our Lordg Jesus at his coming?h Is it not you?i 20 Indeed you are our gloryj and joy!