If Indeed You Continue in the Faith
Righteousness Through Faith in Christ
3 Finally , my brothers , 1 k rejoice in the Lord . l To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you .
2 Look out for m the dogs , look out for n the evildoers , look out for those who mutilate the flesh . 3 For o we are the circumcision , p who worship q by the Spirit of God 2 and r glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh — 4 s though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also . If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh , I have more : 5 t circumcised on the eighth day , u of the people of Israel , v of the tribe of Benjamin , u a Hebrew of Hebrews ; as to the law , w a Pharisee ; 6 x as to zeal , y a persecutor of the church ; z as to righteousness under the law , 3 blameless . 7 But a whatever gain I had , b I counted as loss for the sake of Christ . 8 Indeed , I count everything as loss because of c the surpassing worth of d knowing Christ Jesus my Lord . For his sake I e have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish , in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him , not having f a righteousness of my own that comes from the law , but g that which comes through faith in Christ , the righteousness from God that depends on faith — 10 h that I may know him and i the power of his resurrection , and j may share his sufferings , becoming like him in his death , 11 that by any means possible I may k attain the resurrection from the dead .
Straining Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already l obtained this or m am already perfect , but I press on to make it my own , because Christ Jesus has made me his own . 13 Brothers , I do not consider that I have made it my own . But one thing I do : n forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead , 14 I press on toward the goal for o the prize of the upward p call of God in Christ Jesus . 15 Let those of us who are q mature think this way , and if in anything r you think otherwise , s God will reveal that also to you . 16 Only t let us hold true to what we have attained .
17 Brothers , u join in imitating me , and keep your eyes on those who walk v according to the example you have in us . 18 For w many , of whom I have often told you and now tell you x even with tears , walk as enemies of the cross of Christ . 19 y Their end is destruction , z their god is their belly , and a they glory in their shame , with b minds set on earthly things . 20 But c our citizenship is in heaven , and d from it we e await a Savior , the Lord Jesus Christ , 21 who will transform f our lowly body g to be like his glorious body , h by the power that enables him even i to subject all things to himself .
4 Therefore , my brothers , 1 whom I love and j long for , k my joy and l crown , m stand firm thus in the Lord , my beloved .
Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to n agree in the Lord . 3 Yes , I ask you also , true companion , 2 help these women , who have labored 3 side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers , o whose names are in the book of life .
4 p Rejoice in the Lord always ; again I will say , rejoice . 5 Let your reasonableness 4 be known to everyone . q The Lord is at hand ; 6 r do not be anxious about anything , s but in everything by prayer and supplication t with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God . 7 And u the peace of God , v which surpasses all understanding , will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus .
8 Finally , brothers , whatever is true , whatever is honorable , whatever is just , whatever is pure , whatever is lovely , whatever is commendable , if there is any excellence , if there is anything worthy of praise , think about these things . 9 What you have learned 5 and w received and heard and seen x in me — practice these things , and y the God of peace will be with you .
God's Provision
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length z you have revived your concern for me . You were indeed concerned for me , but you had no opportunity . 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need , for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be a content . 12 I know how to be brought low , and I know how to abound . In any and every circumstance , I have learned the secret of facing plenty and b hunger , abundance and c need . 13 I can do all things d through him who strengthens me .
14 Yet it was kind of you e to share 6 my trouble . 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that f in the beginning of the gospel , when I left Macedonia , g no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving , except you only . 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again . 17 h Not that I seek the gift , but I seek i the fruit that increases to your credit . 7 18 I have received full payment , and more . I am well supplied , j having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent , k a fragrant offering , l a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God . 19 And my God m will supply every need of yours n according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus . 20 To o our God and Father be p glory forever and ever . Amen .
Final Greetings
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus . q The brothers who are with me greet you . 22 r All the saints greet you , especially those of Caesar's household .
23 s The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit .
Colossians
Greeting
1 Paul , a an apostle of Christ Jesus b by the will of God , and Timothy c our brother ,
2 To the d saints and faithful brothers 1 in Christ at Colossae :
e Grace to you and peace from God our Father .
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 f We always thank God , the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ , when we pray for you , 4 since we heard of g your faith in Christ Jesus and of g the love that you have for all the saints , 5 because of h the hope i laid up for you in heaven . Of this you have heard before in j the word of the truth , the gospel , 6 which has come to you , as indeed k in the whole world it is l bearing fruit and increasing — as it also does among you , since the day you m heard it and understood n the grace of God in truth , 7 just as you learned it from o Epaphras our beloved p fellow servant . 2 He is p a faithful minister of Christ on your 3 behalf 8 and has made known to us your q love in the Spirit .
9 And so , r from the day we heard , s we have not ceased to pray for you , asking that t you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all u spiritual wisdom and understanding , 10 so as v to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord , w fully pleasing to him : x bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God ; 11 y being strengthened with all power , according to his glorious might , for z all endurance and patience a with joy ; 12 b giving thanks 4 to the Father , who has qualified you 5 to share in c the inheritance of the saints in light . 13 He d has delivered us from e the domain of darkness and transferred us to f the kingdom of g his beloved Son , 14 h in whom we have redemption , the forgiveness of sins .
The Preeminence of Christ
15 i He is the image of j the invisible God , k the firstborn of all creation . 16 For by 6 him all things were created , l in heaven and on earth , visible and invisible , whether m thrones or n dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created o through him and for him . 17 And p he is before all things , and in him all things q hold together . 18 And r he is the head of the body , the church . He is s the beginning , t the firstborn from the dead , that in everything he might be preeminent . 19 For u in him all the v fullness of God was pleased to dwell , 20 and w through him to reconcile to himself all things , whether on earth or in heaven , x making peace y by the blood of his cross .
21 z And you , who once were alienated and hostile in mind , a doing evil deeds , 22 he has now reconciled b in his body of flesh by his death , c in order to present you holy and blameless and d above reproach before him , 23 e if indeed you continue in the faith , f stable and steadfast , not shifting from g the hope of the gospel that you heard , which has been proclaimed h in all creation 7 under heaven , i and of which I , Paul , became a minister .
Paul's Ministry to the Church
24 Now j I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake , and in my flesh k I am filling up l what is lacking in Christ's afflictions m for the sake of his body , that is , the church , 25 n of which I became a minister according to o the stewardship from God that was given to me for you , to make the word of God fully known , 26 p the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints . 27 q To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are r the riches of the glory of p this mystery , which is Christ in you , s the hope of glory . 28 Him we proclaim , warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom , that t we may present everyone u mature in Christ . 29 For this v I toil , w struggling x with all his energy that he powerfully works within me .
2 For I want you to know y how great a w struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face , 2 that z their hearts may be encouraged , being a knit together in love , to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of b God's mystery , which is Christ , 3 c in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge . 4 I say this in order d that no one may delude you with plausible arguments . 5 For e though I am absent in body , yet I am with you in spirit , rejoicing to see your f good order and g the firmness of your faith in Christ .
Alive in Christ
6 h Therefore , as you received Christ Jesus the Lord , so walk in him , 7 i rooted and j built up in him and k established in the faith , just l as you were taught , abounding m in thanksgiving .
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by n philosophy and o empty deceit , according to p human tradition , according to the q elemental spirits 1 of the world , and not according to Christ . 9 For r in him the whole fullness of deity dwells s bodily , 10 and t you have been filled in him , who is u the head of all rule and authority . 11 In him also v you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands , by w putting off the body of the flesh , by the circumcision of Christ , 12 x having been buried with him in baptism , in which y you were also raised with him through faith in z the powerful working of God , z who raised him from the dead . 13 a And you , who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh , God b made alive together with him , having forgiven us all our trespasses , 14 by c canceling d the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands . This he set aside , nailing it to the cross . 15 w He disarmed the rulers and authorities 2 and e put them to open shame , by f triumphing over them in him . 3
Let No One Disqualify You
16 Therefore let no one g pass judgment on you h in questions of food and drink , or with regard to i a festival or j a new moon or a Sabbath . 17 k These are a shadow of the things to come , but l the substance belongs to Christ . 18 Let no one m disqualify you , n insisting on asceticism and worship of angels , o going on in detail about visions , 4 p puffed up without reason by q his sensuous mind , 19 and r not s holding fast to the Head , from whom the whole body , nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments , grows with a growth that is from God .
20 If with Christ t you died to the u elemental spirits of the world , v why , as if you were still alive in the world , do you submit to regulations — 21 w " Do not handle , Do not taste , Do not touch " 22 ( x referring to things that all perish as they are used ) — according to y human precepts and teachings ? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in z promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body , but they are a of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh .
Put On the New Self
3 b If then you have been raised with Christ , seek c the things that are above , where Christ is , d seated at the right hand of God . 2 e Set your minds on things that are above , not on things that are on earth . 3 For f you have died , and your life is hidden with Christ in God . 4 When Christ g who is your 1 life h appears , then you also will appear with him i in glory .
5 j Put to death therefore k what is earthly in you : 2 l sexual immorality , impurity , m passion , evil desire , and covetousness , n which is idolatry . 6 o On account of these the wrath of God is coming . 3 7 p In these you too once walked , when you were living in them . 8 But now q you must put them all away : r anger , wrath , malice , s slander , and obscene talk from your mouth . 9 t Do not lie to one another , seeing that u you have put off v the old self 4 with its practices 10 and w have put on x the new self , y which is being renewed in knowledge z after the image of a its creator . 11 b Here there is not Greek and Jew , circumcised and uncircumcised , barbarian , Scythian , slave , 5 free ; but Christ is c all , and in all .
12 d Put on then , as e God's chosen ones , holy and beloved , f compassionate hearts , g kindness , h humility , meekness , and patience , 13 h bearing with one another and , i if one has a complaint against another , g forgiving each other ; g as the Lord has forgiven you , so you also must forgive . 14 And above all these put on j love , which k binds everything together in l perfect harmony . 15 And let m the peace of Christ rule in your hearts , to which indeed you were called n in one body . And o be thankful . 16 Let p the word of Christ dwell in you richly , teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom , q singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs , r with thankfulness in your hearts to God . 17 And s whatever you do , in word or deed , do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus , t giving thanks to God the Father through him .
Rules for Christian Households
18 u Wives , submit to your husbands , as v is fitting in the Lord . 19 Husbands , love your wives , and w do not be harsh with them . 20 Children , obey your parents x in everything , for this pleases the Lord . 21 Fathers , do not provoke your children , lest they become discouraged . 22 Bondservants , obey x in everything those who are your earthly masters , 6 not by way of eye-service , as people-pleasers , but with sincerity of heart , fearing the Lord . 23 y Whatever you do , work heartily , z as for the Lord and not for men , 24 knowing that from the Lord a you will receive the inheritance as your reward . b You are serving the Lord Christ . 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done , and there is no partiality .
Source: https://www.esv.org/Colossians+1.23/
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