The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Part 46

(25)Wherefore, having put away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor; because we are members one of another. (26)Be angry and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath, (27)neither give place to the Devil.

(28)Let him that stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands that which is good, that he may have to impart to him that has need. (29)Let no corrupt discourse proceed out of your mouth, but whatever is good for needful edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (30)And grieve not the Holy Spirit of G.o.d, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption. (31)Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice; (32)and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as also G.o.d in Christ forgave you.

V.

BECOME therefore followers of G.o.d, as beloved children (2)and walk in love, as also Christ loved us, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to G.o.d for an odor of sweet smell.

(3)But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becomes saints, (4)and filthiness, and foolish talking, and jesting, which are not becoming, but rather giving of thanks. (5)For this ye know, being aware that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and G.o.d. (6)Let no one deceive you with vain words; for because of these things comes the wrath of G.o.d upon the sons of disobedience.

(7)Become not therefore partakers with them. (8)For ye were once darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,-- (9)for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth,--(10)proving what is acceptable to the Lord; (11)and have no fellows.h.i.+p with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather also reprove them. (12)For it is a shame even to speak of the things done by them in secret. (13)But all things, when reproved, are by the light made manifest; for whatever makes manifest is light. (14)Wherefore he says: Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give thee light.

(15)See to it then, how ye walk with exactness, not as unwise, but as wise, (16)redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (17)Therefore be not foolish, but understanding what is the will of the Lord.

(18)And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit; (19)speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (20)giving thanks always for all things, to G.o.d and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (21)submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ; (22)wives to their own husbands, as to the Lord. (23)Because a husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; himself the Savior of the body.

(24)But as the church is subjected to Christ, so also are the wives to their own husbands in everything.

(25)Husbands, love your wives, as also Christ loved the church, and gave himself up for it; (26)that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the bathing of water in the word, (27)that he might himself present to himself the church, glorious, having no spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it may be holy and blameless. (28)So husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. (29)For no one ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, as also Christ the church; (30)because we are members of his body, [being] of his flesh, and of his bones.

(31)For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh.

(32)This mystery is great; but I am speaking of Christ and of the church. (33)Nevertheless, do ye also, severally, each so love his wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she reverence her husband.

VI.

CHILDREN, obey your parents, in the Lord; for this is right. (2)Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, (3)that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

(4)And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

(5)Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ; (6)not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of G.o.d from the heart; (7)with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men; (8)knowing that whatever good thing each may have done, that shall he receive from the Lord, whether bond or free.

(9)And masters, do the same things to them, forbearing threatening; knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons with him.

(10)Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

(11)Put on the whole armor of G.o.d, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. (12)For to us, the contest is not against flesh and blood, but against princ.i.p.alities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places[6:12]. (13)Therefore take on the whole armor of G.o.d, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having fully done all, to stand. (14)Stand therefore, having girded your loins about with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness; (15)and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16)in addition to all, having taken on the s.h.i.+eld of faith, in which ye will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (17)And receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of G.o.d; (18)praying at every fitting season in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints; (19)and for me, that utterance may be given to me, in the opening of my mouth with boldness, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (20)for which I am an amba.s.sador in bonds; that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

(21)But that ye also may know my affairs, how I do, Tychicus, the beloved brother and a faithful minister in the Lord, will make all known to you; (22)whom I sent to you for this very thing, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might encourage your hearts.

(23)Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from G.o.d the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(24)Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS.

I.

PAUL and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers[1:1] and deacons: (2)Grace to you, and peace, from G.o.d our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(3)I thank my G.o.d on every remembrance of you,--(4)always, in every supplication of mine, making the supplication for you all with joy,-- (5)for your fellows.h.i.+p in respect to the gospel[1:5] from the first day until now; (6)being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (7)As it is just for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart[1:7]; being all of you, both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, partakers of the grace with me. (8)For G.o.d is my witness, how greatly I long for you all, with the tender affection of Jesus Christ.

(9)And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge and all discernment; (10)in order that ye may approve the things that are most excellent[1:10], that ye may be pure and without offense unto the day of Christ; (11)being filled with the fruit of righteousness, which is by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of G.o.d.

(12)But I desire that ye should know, brethren, that the things which befell me have resulted rather in the furtherance of the gospel; (13)so that my bonds have become manifest in Christ in all the Praetorium, and to all the rest; (14)and that the greater part of the brethren, made confident in the Lord by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

(15)Some indeed preach Christ also from envy and strife, but some also from good will; (16)the one, out of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel; (17)the other, out of contentiousness, proclaim Christ not with pure intent, supposing that they shall add affliction[1:17] to my bonds. (18)What then? Notwithstanding, in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and therein I rejoice, yea, and shall rejoice. (19)For I know that this will turn out for my salvation, through your supplication, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ; (20)according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall in nothing be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so also now Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.

(21)For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (22)But if it be to live in the flesh, this to me is fruit of labor; and which I shall choose I know not; (23)but am constrained by the two, having the desire to depart, and to be with Christ, for it is far better; (24)but to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sakes. (25)And being persuaded of this, I know that I shall remain, and shall continue with you all for your furtherance and joy in the faith; (26)that your glorying may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me, through my coming to you again.

(27)Only let your deportment be as becomes the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or remain absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (28)and in nothing terrified by the adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation[1:28], and that from G.o.d. (29)Because to you it was granted in behalf of Christ,--not only to believe on him,--but in his behalf to suffer also; (30)having the same conflict as ye saw in me, and now hear of in me.

II.

IF then there is any consolation[2:1] in Christ, if any comfort from love, if any communion of the Spirit, if any tender affection and compa.s.sion, (2)make my joy complete, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of the one mind; (3)doing nothing through contentiousness or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each esteeming others better than himself; (4)regarding not each one his own, but each one also the things of others. (5)Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; (6)who, being in the form of G.o.d, did not account it robbery to be equal with G.o.d; (7)but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. (8)And being found in fas.h.i.+on as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

(9)Wherefore also G.o.d highly exalted him, and gave him a name which is above every name; (10)that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of beings in heaven, and of beings on earth, and of beings under the earth, (11)and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of G.o.d the Father.

(12)Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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 it is G.o.d who works in you both to will and to perform, of his good pleasure.

(14)Do all without murmurings and disputings; (15)that ye may become blameless and simple, children of G.o.d, unreproachable, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye appear as do the heavenly lights in the world; (16)holding forth[1:16] the word of life; for a ground of glorying to me at the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain, or labor in vain.

(17)But even if I am poured out on the sacrifice and ministration of your faith, I rejoice, and I rejoice with you all. (18)For the same cause[2:18], do ye also rejoice, and rejoice with me.

(19)But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly to you, that I also may be cheered, when I know your state. (20)For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. (21)For all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ. (22)But ye know the proof of him, that, as a child with a father, he served with me for the gospel. (23)Him therefore I hope to send without delay, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me; (24)but I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. (25)Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger and minister to my wants. (26)For he was longing after you all, and was much distressed, because ye heard that he was sick. (27)For indeed he was sick near to death; but G.o.d had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow. (28)I sent him therefore with the more haste, that seeing him again ye might rejoice, and that I may be less sorrowful. (29)Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such in honor; (30)because for the work of Christ he came near to death, hazarding his life, that he might supply what things were lacking on your part, of the ministration to me.

III.

FINALLY, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me is not burdensome, and for you it is safe.

(2)Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision. (3)For we are the circ.u.mcision, who wors.h.i.+p by the Spirit of G.o.d, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (4)Though I have confidence also in the flesh. If any other thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I more; (5)circ.u.mcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; (6)as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

(7)But what things were gain to me, these I have accounted loss for Christ. (8)Nay more, and I account all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and account them refuse, that I may gain Christ, (9)and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of G.o.d, upon faith; (10)that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellows.h.i.+p of his sufferings[3:10], being conformed to his death; (11)if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

(12)Not that I already obtained [the prize][3:12], or have already been perfected; but I pursue onward, if I may lay hold of that for which I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. (13)Brethren, I do not count myself to have laid hold of it; but one thing I do, forgetting the things behind, and reaching forth to the things before, (14)I pursue on toward the mark, for the prize of the heavenly calling of G.o.d in Christ Jesus.

(15)Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be of this mind; and if in any thing ye are otherwise minded, this also G.o.d will reveal to you. (16)Nevertheless, whereto we have attained, in the same let us walk.

(17)Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark those who so walk, as ye have us for an example. (18)For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; (19)whose end is destruction, whose G.o.d is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

(20)For our citizens.h.i.+p[3:20] is in heaven; from whence we also look for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; (21)who will transform the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working with which he is able also to subject all things to himself.

(1)Therefore, my brethren beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.