Chapter 186 of 257

17 Therefore “come out from their midst

Only lead your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent I hear your circumstances, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul contending side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not letting yourselves be intimidated in anything by your opponents, which is a sign of destruction to them, but of your salvation, and this from God, 29 because to you has been graciously granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on behalf of him, 30 having the same struggle which you saw in me and now hear about in me.

Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.

so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,

Now you also know, Philippians, that at the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone,

Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I give thanks to my God upon my every remembrance of you, 4 always in my every prayer for all of you, making the prayer with joy, 5 because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 convinced of this same thing, that the one who began a good work in you will finish it until the day of Christ Jesus, 7 just as it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you are sharers of grace with me. 8 For God is my witness, that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this I pray: that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is superior, in order that you may be sincere and blameless in the day of Christ, 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

I give thanks to my God upon my every remembrance of you, 4 always in my every prayer for all of you, making the prayer with joy, 5 because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 convinced of this same thing, that the one who began a good work in you will finish it until the day of Christ Jesus,

just as it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you are sharers of grace with me. 8 For God is my witness, that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this I pray: that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is superior, in order that you may be sincere and blameless in the day of Christ, 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now,

Nevertheless you have done well by sharing with me in my affliction. 15 Now you also know, Philippians, that at the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone, 16 because even in Thessalonica on more than one occasion you sent for my need. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek for the profit that increases to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am well supplied because I received from Epaphroditus what you had sent, a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19 And my God will fulfill your every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

convinced of this same thing, that the one who began a good work in you will finish it until the day of Christ Jesus,

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no one can boast.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.

We know that we have passed over from death to life because we love the brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.

On account of this I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles

For God is my witness, that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

Above all, keep your love for one another constant, because love covers a large number of sins.

it does not behave dishonorably, it is not selfish, it does not become angry, it does not keep a record of wrongs,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

And you will make a breast piece of judgment, a work of a skilled craftsman; you will make it like the work of the ephod; you will make it of gold, blue and purple and crimson yarns, and finely twisted linen. 16 It will be squared, doubled, a span its length and a span its width. 17 And you will fill it with stone mounting, four rows of stone, a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald is the first row; 18 and the second row is a malachite, a sapphire, and a moonstone; 19 and the third row is a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 20 and the fourth row is a turquoise and an onyx and a jasper. Their settings will be woven with gold. 21 The stones will be according to the names of the Israelites, twelve according to their names, with seal engravings, each according to its name they will be for the twelve tribes.

22 “And you will make on the breast piece braided chains, a work of pure gold ornamental cord. 23 And you will make on the breast piece two gold rings, and you will put the two rings on the two edges of the breast piece. 24 And you will put the two gold ornamental cords on the two rings on the edges of the breast piece. 25 And you will put the two ends of the two ornamental cords on the two filigree settings, and you will put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it. 26 And you will make two gold rings, and you will place them on the two ends of the breast piece, on its edge that is on the other side of the ephod, to the inside. 27 And you will make two rings and put them on the two shoulder pieces of the ephod below at its front near its seam above the waistband of the ephod. 28 And they will tie the breast piece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord to be on the waistband of the ephod, and the breast piece will not come loose from the ephod. 29 And Aaron will bear the names of the Israelites in the breast piece of judgment on his heart, when he comes to the sanctuary, for a remembrance before Yahweh continually.

so that you may approve what is superior, in order that you may be sincere and blameless in the day of Christ,

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that each one may receive back the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

And now, little children, remain in him, so that whenever he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.

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

Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self control. Against such things there is no law.

Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that often I intended to come to you, and was prevented until now, in order that I might have some fruit among you also, just as also among the rest of the Gentiles.

But now, having been set free from sin and having been enslaved to God, you have your fruit leading to sanctification, and its end is eternal life.

so that you may live in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good deed and increasing in the knowledge of God,

Therefore through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him—this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything.

Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have happened instead for the progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in Christ has become known in the whole praetorium and to all the rest, 14 and most of the brothers, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, dare even more to speak the word without fear. 15 Some even because of envy and strife preach Christ, but some also because of good will. 16 The latter do so from love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction in my imprisonment. 18 What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. But also I will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out to me for deliverance through your prayer and the support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my eager expectation and hope, that I will be put to shame in nothing, but with all boldness, even now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether through life or through death. 21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if it is to live in the flesh, this is fruitful work for me, and which I will prefer I do not know. 23 But I am hard pressed between the two options, having the desire to depart and to be with Christ, for this is very much better. 24 But to stay on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 And because I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that what you can be proud of may increase in Christ Jesus because of me through my return again to you.

Now when these things were completed, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, it is necessary for me to see Rome also.”

Thus I am eager to proclaim the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have happened instead for the progress of the gospel,

And they traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia. 7 And when they came to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them. 8 So going through Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul during the night: a certain Macedonian man was standing there and imploring him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 And when he had seen the vision, we wanted at once to go away to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

Some even because of envy and strife preach Christ, but some also because of good will. 16 The latter do so from love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction in my imprisonment. 18 What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. But also I will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out to me for deliverance through your prayer and the support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

according to my eager expectation and hope, that I will be put to shame in nothing, but with all boldness, even now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether through life or through death. 21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if it is to live in the flesh, this is fruitful work for me, and which I will prefer I do not know. 23 But I am hard pressed between the two options, having the desire to depart and to be with Christ, for this is very much better. 24 But to stay on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 And because I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that what you can be proud of may increase in Christ Jesus because of me through my return again to you.

in connection with which I suffer misfortune to the point of imprisonment as a criminal, but the word of God is not bound.

and most of the brothers, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, dare even more to speak the word without fear.

The latter do so from love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction in my imprisonment.

for I know that this will turn out to me for deliverance through your prayer and the support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

so that my imprisonment in Christ has become known in the whole praetorium and to all the rest,

What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. But also I will rejoice,

according to my eager expectation and hope, that I will be put to shame in nothing, but with all boldness, even now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether through life or through death.

Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have happened instead for the progress of the gospel,

And because I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

Practice these things. Be diligent in these things, in order that your progress may be evident to everyone.

I am telling the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears witness to me in the Holy Spirit—2 that my grief is great and there is constant distress in my heart. 3 For I could wish myself to be accursed from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my fellow countrymen according to the flesh,

For we know that if our earthly house, the tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed, in this house we groan, because we desire to put on our dwelling from heaven, 3 if indeed, even after we have taken it off, we will not be found naked. 4 For indeed we who are in this tent groan, being burdened for this reason, that we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the down payment, the Spirit.

6 Therefore, although we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—7 for we live by faith, not by sight—8 so we are confident and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us. 19 For the eagerly expecting creation awaits eagerly the revelation of the sons of God. 20 For the creation has been subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its servility to decay, into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans together and suffers agony together until now. 23 Not only this, but we ourselves also, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves while we await eagerly our adoption, the redemption of our body.

Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to carry and my burden is light.”

For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Dear friends, although I was making every effort to write to you concerning our common salvation, I considered it a necessity to write to you to encourage you to contend for the faith delivered once and for all to the saints.

Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God that I was entrusted with.

O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Turn away from pointless empty talk and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge,

and the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these things to faithful people who will be competent to teach others also.

for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but powerful to God for the tearing down of fortresses, tearing down arguments

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. (Now the name of the slave was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into its sheath! The cup that the Father has given me—shall I not drink it?”

Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, 12 because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Because of this, take up the full armor of God, in order that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, girding your waist with truth, and putting on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and binding shoes under your feet with the preparation of the good news of peace, 16 in everything taking up the shield of faith, with which you are able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one, 17 and receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 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,

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, both joints and marrow, and able to judge the reflections and thoughts of the heart.

For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to live in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called:

so that you may live in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good deed and increasing in the knowledge of God,

Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which I proclaimed to you, which you have also received, in which you also stand, 2 by which you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the message I proclaimed to you, unless you believed to no purpose. 3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised up on the third day according to the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, 6 then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, the majority of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all, as it were to one born at the wrong time, he appeared also to me.

I am astonished that you are turning away so quickly from the one who called you by the grace of Christ to a different gospel, 7 not that there is a different gospel, except there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim a gospel to you contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let him be accursed! 9 As we said before, and now I say again, if anyone is proclaiming a gospel to you contrary to what you have received, let him be accursed! 10 For am I now making an appeal to people or to God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

For in this way God loved the world, so that he gave his one and only Son, in order that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life.

You are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by all people,

I appeal to Euodia and I appeal to Syntyche to be in agreement in the Lord.

I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who wants to be first among them, does not acknowledge us.

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked something from him. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your kingdom.” 22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

24 And when the ten heard this, they were indignant concerning the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions exercise authority over them. 26 It will not be like this among you! But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be most prominent among you must be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers, for what participation is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what share does a believer have with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said,

“I will live in them and will walk about among them,

and I will be their God and they will be my people.”

17 Therefore “come out from their midst

and be separate,” says the Lord,

“and do not touch what is unclean,

and I will welcome you,

18 and I will be a father to you,

and you will be sons and daughters to me,”

says the all-powerful Lord.

And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even expose them.

and not letting yourselves be intimidated in anything by your opponents, which is a sign of destruction to them, but of your salvation, and this from God, 29 because to you has been graciously granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on behalf of him, 30 having the same struggle which you saw in me and now hear about in me.

because to you has been graciously granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on behalf of him,

so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,

I have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world.”

And indeed, all those who want to live in a godly manner in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

having the same struggle which you saw in me and now hear about in me.

and not letting yourselves be intimidated in anything by your opponents, which is a sign of destruction to them, but of your salvation, and this from God,

But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21 and are proclaiming customs that are not permitted for us to accept or to practice, because we are Romans!” 22 And the crowd joined in attacking them, and the chief magistrates tore off their clothing and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And after they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely. 24 Having received such an order, he put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and all the bonds were unfastened. 27 And after the jailer was awake and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, “Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!” 29 And demanding lights, he rushed in and, beginning to tremble, fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do so that I can be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household!” 32 And they spoke the message of the Lord to him, together with all those in his house. 33 And he took them at that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and he himself was baptized at once, and all those of his household. 34 And he brought them up into his house and set a meal before them, and rejoiced greatly that he had believed in God with his whole household.

35 And when it was day, the chief magistrates sent the police officers, saying, “Release those men.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul: “The chief magistrates have sent an order that you should be released. So come out now and go in peace!” 37 But Paul said to them, “They beat us in public without due process—men who are Roman citizens—and threw us into prison, and now they are wanting to release us secretly? Certainly not! Rather let them come themselves and bring us out!” 38 So the police officers reported these words to the chief magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 And they came and apologized to them, and after they brought them out they asked them to depart from the city. 40 And when they came out of the prison, they went to Lydia and when they saw them, they encouraged the brothers and departed.

And being in anguish, he began praying more fervently and his sweat became like drops of blood falling down to the ground.⟧

Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 complete my joy, so that you are in agreement, having the same love, united in spirit, having one purpose. 3 Do nothing according to selfish ambition or according to empty conceit, but in humility considering one another better than yourselves, 4 each of you not looking out for your own interests, but also each of you for the interests of others.

5 Think this in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself

by taking the form of a slave,

by becoming in the likeness of people.

And being found in appearance like a man,

8 he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to the point of death,

that is, death on a cross.

9 Therefore also God exalted him

and graciously granted him the name above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, but is a safeguard for you. 2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation. 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and do not put confidence in the flesh,

So then, my beloved and greatly desired brothers, my joy and crown, thus stand firm in the Lord, dear friends. 2 I appeal to Euodia and I appeal to Syntyche to be in agreement in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask also you, true yokefellow, help them, who struggled along with me in the gospel with both Clement and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life.

Do nothing according to selfish ambition or according to empty conceit, but in humility considering one another better than yourselves,

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone who is among you not to think more highly of yourself than what one ought to think, but to think sensibly, as God has apportioned a measure of faith to each one.

Do nothing according to selfish ambition or according to empty conceit, but in humility considering one another better than yourselves, 4 each of you not looking out for your own interests, but also each of you for the interests of others.

For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus.

5 Think this in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself

by taking the form of a slave,

by becoming in the likeness of people.

And being found in appearance like a man,

8 he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to the point of death,

that is, death on a cross.

9 Therefore also God exalted him

and graciously granted him the name above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For the one at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure, is God. 14 Do all things without grumbling and disputing, 15 in order that you may become blameless and innocent, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as stars in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, for a source of pride to me in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 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. 18 And in the same way also you rejoice and rejoice with me.

But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I also may be encouraged when I know your circumstances. 20 For I have no one like-minded who will sincerely be concerned about your circumstances. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know his proven character, that like a child with a father he served with me for the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see my circumstances. 24 And I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will arrive shortly also.

But I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, but your messenger and servant of my need, 26 because he was longing for all of you and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick, coming near to death, but God had mercy on him and not on him only, but also on me, so that I would not have grief upon grief. 28 Therefore I am sending him with special urgency, in order that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore welcome him in the Lord with all joy, and consider such people highly honored, 30 because on account of the work of Christ he came near to the point of death, risking his life in order that he might make up for your inability to serve me.

Think this in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped,

Think this in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

From where are conflicts and from where are quarrels among you? Is it not from this, from your pleasures that wage war among your members? 2 You desire and do not have; you murder and are filled with envy, and are not able to obtain; you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, in order that you may spend it on your pleasures.

4 Adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that in vain the scripture says, “The spirit which he caused to dwell in us desires jealously”? 6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says,

“God opposes the proud,

but gives grace to the humble.”

7 Therefore subject yourselves to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded! 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloominess. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

God is spirit, and the ones who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 This one was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and apart from him not one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of humanity.

who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,

Although God spoke long ago in many parts and in many ways to the fathers by the prophets, 2 in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the world, 3 who is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, sustaining all things by the word of power. When he had made purification for sins through him, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped,

How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of dawn!

You are cut down to the ground, conqueror of nations!

13 And you yourself said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise up my throne above the stars of God;

and I will sit on the mountain of assembly

on the summit of Zaphon;

14 I will ascend to the high places of the clouds,

I will make myself like the Most High.’

15 But you are brought down to Sheol,

to the depths of the pit.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God indeed say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat, 3 but from the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, God said, ‘You shall not eat from it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die’.” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You shall not surely die. 5 For God knows that on the day you both eat from it, then your eyes will be opened and you both shall be like gods, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise, then she took from its fruit and she ate. And she gave it also to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed together fig leaves and they made for themselves coverings.

And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 12 “Son of man, raise a lament over the king of Tyre, and you must say to him, ‘thus says the Lord Yahweh:

“You were a perfect model of an example,

full of wisdom and perfect of beauty.

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God,

and every precious stone was your adornment:

carnelian, topaz and moonstone,

turquoise, onyx and jasper,

sapphire, malachite and emerald.

And gold was the craftsmanship of your settings

and your mountings in you;

on the day when you were created they were prepared.

14 You were an anointed guardian cherub,

and I placed you on God’s holy mountain;

you walked in the midst of stones of fire.

15 You were blameless in your ways

from the day when you were created,

until wickedness was found in you.

16 In the abundance of your trading,

they filled the midst of you with violence, and you sinned;

and I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,

and I expelled you, the guardian cherub,

from the midst of the stones of fire.

17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty;

you ruined your wisdom because of your splendor.

I threw you on the ground before kings;

I have exposed you for viewing.

18 From the abundance of your iniquities

in the dishonesty of your trading,

I profaned your sanctuaries

and I brought fire from your midst;

it consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth

before the eyes of everyone who sees you.

19 All who know you among the peoples

are appalled over you;

you have become as horrors,

and you shall cease to exist forever.” ’ ”

And God said, “Let us make humankind in our image and according to our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of heaven, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every moving thing that moves upon the earth.”

being devoted to one another in brotherly love, esteeming one another more highly in honor,

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

Carry the burdens of one another, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Therefore, let us no longer pass judgment on one another, but rather decide this: not to place a cause for stumbling or a temptation before a brother.

Now I myself also am convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to instruct one another.

but emptied himself

by taking the form of a slave,

by becoming in the likeness of people.

And being found in appearance like a man,

but emptied himself

by taking the form of a slave,

by becoming in the likeness of people.

And being found in appearance like a man,

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to the point of death,

that is, death on a cross.

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to the point of death,

that is, death on a cross.

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.

For I have no one like-minded who will sincerely be concerned about your circumstances.

because on account of the work of Christ he came near to the point of death, risking his life in order that he might make up for your inability to serve me.

Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

Therefore also God exalted him

and graciously granted him the name above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Do nothing according to selfish ambition or according to empty conceit, but in humility considering one another better than yourselves,

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