Paul, Apostle To The Gentiles

The God Who Made the World and Everything in It is The Lord of Heaven and Earth and does not live in Temples built by human hands.  And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything.  Rather, He Himself Gives Everyone Life and Breath and Everything else.  From One Man He Made All The Nations, that they should inhabit the Whole Earth; and He marked out their Appointed Times in History and the Boundaries of their Lands.  God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of Us.  ‘For in Him We Live and Move and Have Our Being.’  ‘We are His Offspring.’  For He has Set a Day when He Will Judge the World with Justice by the Man He has Appointed.  He Has Given Proof of this to Everyone by Raising Him from the dead.”  “I was not disobedient to the Vision from Heaven.  In Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I Preached that they should Repent and Turn to God and Demonstrate their Repentance by their Deeds.  But God Has Helped Me to This Very Day; so I Stand here and Testify to small and great alike.  I am saying nothing beyond what The Prophets and Moses said would happen — that The Messiah would suffer and, as the First to Rise from the dead, would bring The Message of Light to His Own People and to the Gentiles.”  The Gospel He Promised beforehand through His Prophets in The Holy Scriptures regarding His Son, who as to His Earthly Life was a descendant of David, and who through The Spirit of Holiness was Appointed The Son of God in Power by His Resurrection from the dead:  Jesus Christ Our Lord.  Through Him We Received Grace and Apostleship to Call All the Gentiles to the Obedience that Comes from Faith for His Name’s Sake.  And YOU also are Among Those Gentiles Who Are Called to Belong to Jesus Christ.  God “Will Repay each person according to what They have Done.”  To Those Who by Persistence in Doing Good Seek Glory, Honor and Immortality, He Will Give Eternal Life, but Glory, Honor, and Peace for Everyone Who Does Good:  First for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  For God Does not show favoritism.  But Now Apart from The Law The Righteousness of God has been Made Known, to which The Law and The Prophets Testify. 

This Righteousness is Given through Faith in Jesus Christ to All Who Believe.  There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, For All have sinned and fall short of The Glory of God, and All are Justified Freely By His Grace through The Redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God Presented Christ As a Sacrifice of Atonement, through The Shedding of His Blood — to be Received by Faith.  He did this to demonstrate His Righteousness, Because in His Forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — He did it to demonstrate His Righteousness at The Present Time, So as to be Just and The One Who Justifies those who have Faith in Jesus.  If, in fact, Abraham was justified by Works, He had something to boast about — What does Scripture say?  “Abraham Believed God and it was Credited to Him as Righteousness.”  David says the same thing when He speaks of The Blessedness of The One to Whom God Credits Righteousness apart from Works: “Blessed are those whose transgressions are Forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the One whose sin The Lord will never count against them.”  It was not through The Law that Abraham and His Offspring received The Promise that He would be Heir of the World, but through The Righteousness that comes by Faith.  Therefore, The Promise Comes by Faith, so that it may be by Grace and may be guaranteed to All Abraham’s Offspring — not only to those who are of The Law but also to those who have The Faith of Abraham.  He is the father of Us All.  As it is written: “I have made YOU a father of many nations.”  He is Our father in The Sight of God, in Whom He Believed — The God who gives Life to the dead and Calls into Being Things that were not.  The Words “it was credited to him” were written not for Him alone, but Also for Us, To Whom God will credit Righteousness — For Us Who Believe in Him Who Raised Jesus Our Lord From the dead.  He was delivered over to Death for Our sins and was Raised to Life for Our Justification.  Therefore, Since We have been Justified through Faith, We Have Peace with God through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Through Whom We have gained access by Faith into this Grace in which We now Stand.  And We boast in The Hope of The Glory of God.  Not only so, But We also Glory in Our sufferings, Because We know that suffering produces Perseverance; Perseverance, Character; and Character, Hope.  And Hope does not put Us to shame, because God’s Love has been Poured Out into Our Hearts through The Holy Spirit, Who has been given to Us.  God Demonstrates His Own Love for Us in this:  While We were still sinners, Christ died for Us.  Since We have now been Justified by His Blood, how much more shall We be Saved from God’s Wrath Through Him! 

For if, while We were God’s enemies, We were Reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been Reconciled, shall We be Saved through His life!  Not only is this so, but We also boast in God through Our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom We have now received Reconciliation.  We are those who have died to sin; or don’t YOU know that All of Us who were Baptized into Christ Jesus were Baptized into His death? 

We were therefore buried with Him through Baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was Raised from the dead Through The Glory of The Father, We too may Live a New Life.  For If We have Been United with Him in a death like His, We will certainly also be United with Him in a Resurrection like His. For We know that Our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that We should no longer be slaves to sin.  Now if We died with Christ, We Believe that We will also Live with Him.  For We know that since Christ was Raised from the dead, He cannot die again; Death no longer has mastery over Him.  The death He died, He died to sin Once for All; but the Life He Lives, He Lives to God.  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but Alive to God in Christ Jesus. 

Offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to Life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an Instrument of Righteousness.  So, YOU also died to The Law through The Body of Christ, that YOU might belong to another, to Him who was Raised from the dead, in order that We might bear Fruit for God.  But now, by dying to what once bound Us, We have been released from The Law so that We serve in The New Way of The Spirit, therefore, there is now no Condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus The Law of The Spirit who gives Life has set YOU free from The Law of sin and Death.  God did by sending His Own Son in The Likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin Offering.  In order that The Righteous Requirement of The Law might be fully met in Us, but those who live in Accordance with The Spirit have their minds set on what The Spirit desires but the mind governed by The Spirit is Life and Peace.  YOU, are in The Realm of The Spirit, if indeed The Spirit of God Lives in YOU.  But if Christ is in YOU, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, The Spirit gives Life because of Righteousness.  He who Raised Christ from the dead will also give Life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in YOU.  For those who are led by The Spirit of God are The Children of God.  The Spirit YOU received brought about your adoption to Sonship.  And by Him We cry, “Abba, Father.”  The Spirit Himself testifies with Our Spirit that We are God’s Children.  Now if We are Children, then We are Heirs — Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ, if indeed We share in His sufferings in order that We may also share in His Glory.  For The Creation waits in eager expectation for The Children of God to be revealed.  For The Creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by The Will of The One who subjected it, in Hope that The Creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into The Freedom and Glory of The Children of God.   We know that The Whole Creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.  Not only so, but We ourselves, who have The Firstfruits of The Spirit, groan inwardly as We wait eagerly for Our Adoption to Sonship, The Redemption of Our bodies.  For in this Hope We were Saved.  But if We Hope for what We do not yet have, We wait for it patiently.  In the same way, The Spirit helps Us in Our weakness.  We do not know what We ought to pray for, but The Spirit Himself intercedes for Us through wordless groans.  And He who searches Our hearts knows The Mind of The Spirit, because The Spirit intercedes for God’s People in Accordance with The Will of God.  And We know that in all things God Works for The Good of those who Love Him, who have been Called According to His Purpose.  For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to The Image of His Son, that He might be The Firstborn among many Brothers and Sisters.  And those He Predestined, He also Called; those He Called, He also Justified; those He Justified, He also Glorified.  If God is for Us He who did not spare His Own Son, but gave Him up for Us All — how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give Us All Things?  Christ Jesus who died — more than that, who was Raised to Life — is at The Right Hand of God and is also interceding for Us.  As it is written: “For Your sake We face death all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”  No, in all these things We are more than conquerors through Him who Loved Us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor Life, neither Angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in All Creation, will be able to separate Us from The Love of God that is in Christ Jesus Our Lord. 

On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”  In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s Children, but it is the children of The Promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.  For He says to Moses, “I will have Mercy on whom I have Mercy, and I will have Compassion on whom I have Compassion.”  As it is written:  “See, I lay in Zion a Stone that causes people to stumble and a Rock that makes them fall, and The One who Believes in Him will never be put to shame.”  Brothers and Sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for The Israelites is that they may be Saved.  Christ is The Culmination of The Law so that there may be Righteousness for everyone who Believes.  “The Word is near YOU; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, The Message concerning Faith that We proclaim:  If YOU Declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and Believe in your heart that God Raised Him from the dead, YOU will be Saved.  For it is with your heart that YOU Believe and are Justified, and it is with your mouth that YOU Profess your Faith and are Saved.  As Scripture says, “Anyone who Believes in Him will never be put to shame.”  For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of All and richly Blesses All who Call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on The Name of The Lord will be Saved.”  As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!”  Consequently, Faith comes from hearing The Message, and The Message is heard through The Word about Christ.  Because of their transgression, Salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.  I am talking to YOU Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am The Apostle to The Gentiles, if the part of the dough offered as Firstfruits is Holy, then the whole batch is Holy; if the root is Holy, so are the branches.  If some of the branches have been broken off, and YOU, though a wild olive shoot, have been Grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches.  If YOU do, consider this:  YOU do not support the root, but the root supports YOU.  YOU will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be Grafted in,” granted, but they were broken off because of Unbelief, and YOU stand by Faith.  Do not be arrogant, but tremble.  For if God did not spare the Natural branches, He will not spare YOU either.  Consider therefore the Kindness and Sternness of God:  Sternness to those who fell, but Kindness to YOU, provided that YOU continue in His Kindness.  Otherwise, YOU also will be cut off.  And if they do not persist in Unbelief, they will be Grafted in, for God is able to Graft them in again.  After all, if YOU were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were Grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be Grafted into their own olive tree!  Therefore, I urge YOU, in View of God’s Mercy, to offer your bodies as a Living Sacrifice, Holy and Pleasing to God — this is your True and Proper Worship, but be Transformed by The Renewing of your mind.  Then YOU will be able to Test and Approve what God’s Will is — His Good, Pleasing, and Perfect Will. 

For just as each of Us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ We, though many, form One Body, and each member belongs to All the others.  We have different Gifts, according to The Grace given to each of Us.  If your Gift is Prophesying, then Prophesy in accordance with your Faith; if it is Serving, then Serve; if it is Teaching, then Teach; if it is to Encourage, then give Encouragement; if it is Giving, then Give Generously; if it is to Lead, do it diligently; if it is to show Mercy, do it Cheerfully.  Love must be sincere.  Cling to what is Good.  Be Devoted to One Another in Love.  Honor One Another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your Spiritual Fervor, serving The Lord.  Be Joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction, Faithful in Prayer.  Share with The Lord’s people who are in need.  Practice Hospitality.  Bless those who persecute YOU; Bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who Rejoice; Mourn with those who Mourn.  Live in Harmony with One Another.  Be willing to associate with people of low position.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 

If it is possible, as far as it depends on YOU, live at Peace with everyone.  My dear friends, but leave room for God’s Wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says The Lord.  On the contrary:  “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with Good.  Except the continuing debt to Love One Another, for whoever Loves others has Fulfilled The Law.  The Commandments, “YOU shall not commit Adultery,” “YOU shall not Murder,” “YOU shall not Steal,” “YOU shall not Covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this One command:  “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Love does no harm to a neighbor.  Therefore Love is The Fulfillment of The Law.  And do this, understanding the present time:  The hour has already come for YOU to wake up from your slumber, because Our Salvation is nearer now than when We first Believed.  The Night is nearly over; The Day is almost here. 

So let Us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on The Armor of Light.  Let Us behave decently, as in the Daytime, rather, clothe yourselves with The Lord Jesus Christ.  If We live, We live for The Lord; and if We die, we die for The Lord.  So, whether We live or die, We belong to The Lord.  For this very reason, Christ died and returned to Life so that He might be The Lord of both the dead and the living.  It is written: “‘As surely as I Live,’ says The Lord, ‘every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”  So then, each of Us will give an account of Ourselves to God.  We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.  Each of Us should please Our neighbors for their good, to build them up.  For even Christ did not please Himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult YOU have fallen on Me.”  For everything that was written in the past was written to Teach Us, so that through the Endurance taught in The Scriptures and the Encouragement they provide We might have Hope.  May The God who gives Endurance and Encouragement give YOU the same Attitude of Mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with One Mind and One Voice YOU may Glorify The God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted YOU, in order to bring Praise to God.  For I tell YOU that Christ has become a Servant of the Jews on Behalf of God’s Truth, so that The Promises made to The Patriarchs might be confirmed and, moreover, that the Gentiles might Glorify God for His mercy.  As it is written: “Therefore I will Praise YOU among the Gentiles; I will sing The Praises of Your Name.”  Again, it says, “Rejoice, YOU Gentiles, with His People.”  And again, “Praise The Lord, All YOU Gentiles; let all the peoples extol Him.”  And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will Spring Up, One who will arise to rule over the nations; in Him the Gentiles will Hope.”  May The God of Hope fill YOU with All Joy and Peace as YOU Trust in Him, so that YOU may overflow with Hope by The Power of The Holy Spirit.  I myself am convinced, that YOU yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.  To be a Minister of Christ Jesus to The Gentiles.  He gave me The Priestly Duty of Proclaiming The Gospel of God, so that The Gentiles might become an Offering Acceptable to God, Sanctified by The Holy Spirit.  Therefore I Glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.  I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done — by The Power of Signs and Wonders, through The Power of The Spirit of God.  So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully Proclaimed The Gospel of Christ.  It has always been my ambition to Preach The Gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.  Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”  And so it was with me, Brothers and Sisters. When I came to YOU, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to YOU The Testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with YOU except Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.  I came to YOU in weakness with great fear and trembling.  My Message and my Preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a Demonstration of The Spirit’s Power, so that your Faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s Power.  However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who Love Him — these are the things God has Revealed to Us by His Spirit.  The Spirit searches all things, even The Deep Things of God.  For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them?  In the same way no one knows The Thoughts of God except The Spirit of God.  What We have received is not The Spirit of the World, but The Spirit who is from God, so that We may understand what God has Freely Given Us.  This is what We speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in Words Taught by The Spirit, explaining Spiritual Realities with Spirit-Taught Words.  The person with The Spirit makes judgments about All Things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known The Mind of The Lord so as to instruct Him?”  But We have The Mind of Christ.  The Lord has assigned to each His Task.  I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 

The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their Own labor.  For We are Co-Workers in God’s Service; YOU are God’s Field, God’s Building.  By The Grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it.  But each one should build with care.  For no one can lay any foundation other than The One already Laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Don’t YOU know that YOU yourselves are God’s Temple and that God’s Spirit Dwells in your midst?  If anyone destroys God’s Temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s Temple is Sacred, and YOU Together are that Temple.  Now about The Gifts of The Spirit,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by The Holy Spirit.  There are different kinds of Gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.  There are different kinds of Service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of Working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.  Now to each one The Manifestation of The Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through The Spirit a Message of Wisdom, to another a Message of Knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another Faith by the same Spirit, to another Gifts of Healing by that One Spirit, to another Miraculous Powers, to another Prophecy, to another Distinguishing between Spirits, to another Speaking in different Kinds of Tongues, and to still another The Interpretation of Tongues.  All these are The Work of One and The same Spirit, and He Distributes them to each one, just as He Determines.  Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  For We were All Baptized by One Spirit so as to Form One Body — whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and We were All given The One Spirit to drink.  Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.  But in fact God has placed The Parts in The Body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.  As it is, there are many parts, but One Body.  On the contrary, those parts of The Body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that We think are less honorable We treat with Special Honor.  And the parts that are Unpresentable are treated with Special Modesty, while Our Presentable Parts need no special treatment.  But God has put The Body together, giving greater Honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in The Body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.  Now YOU are The Body of Christ, and each One of YOU is a part of it.  And God has placed in The Church first of all Apostles, second Prophets, third Teachers, then Miracles, then Gifts of Healing, of Helping, of Guidance, and of different kinds of Tongues.  If I have The Gift of Prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a Faith that can move mountains, but do not have Love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have Love, I gain nothing.  Love is Patient, Love is Kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, but Rejoices with The Truth.

It always Protects, always Trusts, always Hopes, always Perseveres.  For We Know in part and We Prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, when I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.  For now We see only a reflection as in a mirror; then We shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall Know Fully, even as I am fully known.  And now these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love.  But The Greatest of these is Love.  Follow The Way of Love and Eagerly Desire Gifts of The Spirit, especially Prophecy.  For anyone who Speaks in a Tongue does not speak to people but to God.  Indeed, no one understands them; they utter Mysteries by The Spirit.  But the One who Prophesies Speaks to people for their Strengthening, Encouraging and Comfort.  Anyone who Speaks in a Tongue Edifies themselves, but the One who Prophesies Edifies The Church.  I would like every one of YOU to Speak in Tongues, but I would rather have YOU Prophesy.  Prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for Believers.  When YOU come together, each of YOU has a hymn, or a Word of Instruction, a Revelation.  Everything must be done so that The Church may be Built Up.  Two or three Prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.  And if a Revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.  For YOU can All Prophesy in turn so that everyone may be Instructed and Encouraged.  The Spirits of Prophets are subject to the control of Prophets.  For God is not a God of disorder but of Peace — as in All The Congregations of the Lord’s people. 

Now, I want to remind YOU of The Gospel I Preached to YOU, which YOU received and on which YOU have taken your stand.  By this Gospel YOU are Saved, if YOU hold firmly to The Word I Preached to YOU.  For what I received I passed on to YOU as of First Importance:  that Christ died for Our sins According to The Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was Raised on The Third Day According to The Scriptures, and that He Appeared to Cephas (Peter), and then to The Twelve.  After that, He Appeared to more than Five Hundred of The Brothers and Sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.  Then He appeared to James, then to All The Apostles, and last of all He Appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.  But Christ has indeed been Raised from the dead, The Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since Death came through a Man, The Resurrection of the dead comes also through a Man.  For as in Adam All die, so in Christ All will be made Alive.  But each in turn: Christ, The Firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him.  Then the End will come, when He hands over The Kingdom to God The Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.  For He must Reign until He has put All His enemies under His Feet.  For He “has put everything under His Feet.”  Now when it says that “everything” has been put under Him, it is clear that this does not include God Himself, who put everything under Christ.

When He has done this, then The Son Himself will be made Subject to Him who put Everything under Him, so that God may be All in All.  What YOU sow does not come to Life unless it dies.  When YOU sow, YOU do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else.  But God gives it a body as He has determined, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body.  Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.  There are also Heavenly Bodies and there are Earthly Bodies; but The Splendor of The Heavenly Bodies is One Kind, and The Splendor of The Earthly Bodies is another.  The Sun has one kind of Splendor, The Moon another and the Stars another; and Star differs from Star in Splendor.  So will it be with The Resurrection of the dead.  The Body that is sown is perishable, it is Raised Imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is Raised in Glory; it is sown in weakness, it is Raised in Power; it is sown a Natural Body, it is Raised a Spiritual Body.  If there is a Natural Body, there is also a Spiritual Body.  So it is written: “The first man Adam became a Living Being”; The Last Adam, a Life-giving Spirit.  The Spiritual did not come first, but The Natural, and after that The Spiritual.  The First Man was of the dust of the Earth; The Second Man is of Heaven.  As was The Earthly Man, so are those who are of the Earth; and as is The Heavenly Man, so also are those who are of Heaven, so shall We bear The Image of The Heavenly Man.  I declare to YOU, Brothers and Sisters, that listen, I tell YOU a Mystery: We will not all Sleep, but We will All be Changed — in a Flash, in The Twinkling of an eye, at The Last Trumpet.  For The Trumpet will Sound, the dead will be Raised Imperishable, and We will be Changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with The Imperishable, and the mortal with Immortality.  When the perishable has been clothed with The Imperishable, and the mortal with Immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in Victory.”  “Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?”  The sting of Death is sin, and the power of sin is The Law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives Us The Victory through Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my dear Brothers and Sisters, Stand Firm.  Let nothing move YOU.  Always give yourselves Fully to The Work of The Lord, because YOU know that your Labor in The Lord is not in vain.  Therefore, since through God’s Mercy We have this Ministry, We do not lose heart.  On the contrary, by setting forth The Truth plainly We commend Ourselves to everyone’s conscience in The Sight of God.  And even if Our Gospel is veiled, for what We Preach is not Ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and Ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ Sake.  For God, who said, “Let Light shine out of darkness,” made His Light shine in Our hearts to give Us The Light of The Knowledge of God’s Glory displayed in The Face of Christ.  But We have this Treasure in Jars of Clay to show that this All-surpassing Power is from God and not from Us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in Our Body The Death of Jesus, so that The Life of Jesus may also be Revealed in Our Body.  For We who are Alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ Sake, so that His Life may also be Revealed in Our Mortal Body.  So then, death is at work in Us, but Life is at work in YOU.  It is written:  “I Believed; therefore I have Spoken.” 

Since We have that same Spirit of Faith, We also Believe and therefore Speak, because We know that The One who Raised The Lord Jesus from the dead will also Raise Us with Jesus and present Us with YOU to Himself.  All this is for your benefit, so that The Grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to The Glory of God.  Therefore We do not lose heart.  Though outwardly We are wasting away, yet inwardly We are being Renewed day by day.  For Our Light and momentary troubles are achieving for Us an Eternal Glory that far outweighs them all.  So We fix Our Eyes not on what is seen, but on what is Unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is Unseen is Eternal.  For We know that if the Earthly Tent We live in is destroyed, We have a Building from God, an Eternal House in Heaven, not built by human hands.  Meanwhile We groan, longing to be clothed instead with Our Heavenly Dwelling, because when We are clothed, We will not be found naked.  For while We are in this Tent, We groan and are burdened, because We do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with Our Heavenly Dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by Life.  Now The One who has fashioned Us for this very purpose is God, who has given Us The Spirit as a Deposit, Guaranteeing what is to come.  Therefore We are always confident and know that as long as We are at home in the body We are away from The Lord.  For We Live by Faith, not by sight.   We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with The Lord.   So We make it Our Goal to Please Him, whether We are at home in the body or away from it.  For We must All appear before The Judgment Seat of Christ, so that each of Us may receive what is due Us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.  Since, then, We know what it is to fear The Lord, We try to persuade others.  What We are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.  For Christ’s Love Compels Us, because We are convinced that One died for All, and therefore All died.  He died for All, that those who Live should no longer Live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was Raised again.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, The New Creation has Come:  The old has gone, The New is here!  All this is from God, who Reconciled Us to Himself through Christ and gave Us The Ministry of Reconciliation: that God was Reconciling the World to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.  And He has Committed to Us The Message of Reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s Ambassadors, as though God were making His Appeal through Us.  We implore YOU on Christ’s behalf: Be Reconciled to God.  God made Him who had no sin to be sin for Us, so that in Him We might become The Righteousness of God.  As God’s Co-Workers We urge YOU not to Receive God’s Grace in vain.  For He says, “In the time of My Favor I heard YOU, and in The Day of Salvation I helped YOU.”  I tell YOU, now is The Time of God’s Favor, now is The Day of Salvation.  As Servants of God We commend ourselves in every way:  in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness;  in The Holy Spirit and in sincere Love; in Truthful Speech and in The Power of God; with Weapons of Righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through Glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we Live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.  For We are The Temple of The Living God.  As God has said: “I will Live with them and Walk among them, and I will be Their God, and They will be My People.”  Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says The Lord.  Touch no unclean thing, and I will Receive YOU.”  And, “I will be a Father to YOU, and YOU will be My Sons and Daughters, says The Lord Almighty.”  Remember this:  whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each of YOU should give what YOU have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God Loves a Cheerful Giver.  And God is Able to Bless YOU Abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that YOU need, YOU will abound in every Good Work.  As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their Righteousness Endures Forever.”  Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge The Harvest of your Righteousness.  YOU will be enriched in every way so that YOU can be generous on every occasion, and through Us your generosity will result in Thanksgiving to God.  This Service that YOU Perform is not only Supplying The Needs of The Lord’s People but is also Overflowing in many Expressions of Thanks to God. 

Because of The Service by which YOU have Proved yourselves, others will Praise God for the Obedience that Accompanies your Confession of The Gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in Sharing with them and with everyone else.  And in their prayers for YOU their hearts will go out to YOU, because of The Surpassing Grace God has given YOU.  Thanks be to God for His Indescribable Gift!  I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to The Third Heaven.  Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know — God Knows.  And I know that this man — whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God Knows — was caught up to Paradise and Heard Inexpressible Things, things that no one is Permitted to Tell.  But He said to me, “My Grace is Sufficient for YOU, for My Power is made Perfect in weakness.”  I want YOU to know, that The Gospel I Preached is not of human origin.  I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by Revelation from Jesus Christ.  “We who are Jews by birth know that a person is not justified by The Works of The Law, but by Faith in Jesus Christ.  So We, too, have Put Our Faith in Christ Jesus that We may be Justified by Faith in Christ.  “For through The Law I died to The Law so that I might Live for God.  I have been Crucified with Christ and I no longer Live, but Christ Lives in me.  The Life I now Live in the body, I live by Faith in The Son of God, who Loved me and gave Himself for me.  I do not set aside The Grace of God, for if Righteousness could be gained through The Law, Christ died for nothing!”  So The Law was Our Guardian until Christ came that We might be Justified by Faith.  Now that this Faith has come, so in Christ Jesus YOU are All Children of God through Faith, for All of YOU who were Baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  For YOU are All One in Christ Jesus.  If YOU belong to Christ, then YOU are Abraham’s Seed, and Heirs according to The Promise.  But when The Set Time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, to Redeem those under The Law, that We might receive adoption to Sonship.  Because YOU are His Sons, God sent The Spirit of His Son into Our hearts, The Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”  So YOU are no longer a slave, but God’s Child; and since YOU are His Child, God has made YOU also an Heir.  But The Fruit of The Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.  Since We Live by The Spirit, let Us keep in step with The Spirit.  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way YOU will Fulfill The Law of Christ.  Each one should test their own actions.  Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.  Nevertheless, The One Who Receives Instruction in The Word should share All Good Things with Their Instructor.  A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please The Spirit, from The Spirit will Reap Eternal Life.  Let Us not become weary in doing Good, for at the proper time We will Reap a Harvest if We do not give up.  Therefore, as We have opportunity, let Us do Good to All people, especially to those Who Belong To The Family of Believers.  Praise be to The God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has Blessed Us in The Heavenly Realms with Every Spiritual Blessing in Christ.  For He chose Us in Him before The Creation of The World to be Holy and Blameless in His Sight.  In Love He Predestined Us for Adoption to Sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His Pleasure and Will — to The Praise of His Glorious Grace, which He has freely given Us in The One He Loves.  In Him We have Redemption through His Blood, The Forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s Grace that He lavished on Us, with All Wisdom and Understanding, He made known to Us The Mystery of His Will according to His Good Pleasure, which He Purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when The Times reach their Fulfillment — to bring Unity to All Things in Heaven and on Earth under Christ.  In Him We were also Chosen, having been Predestined according to The Plan of Him Who Works Out Everything in Conformity with The Purpose of His Will, in order that We, who were The First to put Our Hope in Christ, might be for The Praise of His Glory.  And YOU also were included in Christ when YOU heard The Message of Truth, The Gospel of Your Salvation.  When YOU Believed, YOU were Marked in Him with a Seal, The Promised Holy Spirit, who is a Deposit Guaranteeing Our Inheritance until The Redemption of those who are God’s Possession — to The Praise of His Glory.  I keep asking that The God of Our Lord Jesus Christ, The Glorious Father, may give YOU The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, so that YOU may Know Him better.  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be Enlightened in order that YOU may know The Hope to which He has Called YOU, the riches of His Glorious Inheritance in His Holy People, and His Incomparably Great Power for Us who Believe. 

That Power is the same as The Mighty Strength He Exerted when He Raised Christ from the dead and Seated Him at His Right Hand in The Heavenly Realms, Far Above All Rule and Authority, Power and Dominion, and every Name that is Invoked, not only in The Present Age but also in The One to come.  And God Placed All Things under His Feet and Appointed Him to be Head Over Everything for The Church, which is His Body, The Fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.  But because of His Great Love for Us, God, who is Rich in Mercy, made Us Alive with Christ even when We were dead in transgressions — it is by Grace YOU have been Saved.  And God raised Us up with Christ and seated Us with Him in The Heavenly Realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in The Coming Ages He might show The Incomparable Riches of His Grace, expressed in His Kindness to Us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by Grace YOU have been Saved, through Faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is The Gift of God —  not by Works, so that no one can boast.  For We are God’s Handiwork, Created in Christ Jesus to do Good Works, which God Prepared in Advance for Us to do.  For He Himself is Our Peace, who has made The Two Groups One and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh The Law with its Commands and Regulations.  His Purpose was to Create in Himself One New Humanity out of the Two, thus making Peace, and in One Body to Reconcile both of them to God through The Cross, by which He put to death their hostility.  He came and Preached Peace to YOU who were far away and Peace to those who were near.  For through Him We both have Access to The Father by One Spirit, but Fellow Citizens with God’s People and also Members of His Household, built on The Foundation of The Apostles and Prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as The Chief Cornerstone.  In Him The Whole Building is joined together and Rises to become a Holy Temple in The Lord.  And in Him YOU too are being built together to become a Dwelling in which God Lives by His Spirit.  In reading this, then, YOU will be able to understand my insight into The Mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been Revealed by The Spirit to God’s Holy Apostles and Prophets.  This Mystery is that through The Gospel The Gentiles are Heirs Together with Israel, Members Together of One Body, and sharers together in The Promise in Christ Jesus.  I became a servant of this Gospel by The Gift of God’s Grace given me through The Working of His Power.  To Preach to The Gentiles The Boundless Riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone The Administration of this Mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who Created All Things.  His intent was that now, through The Church, The Manifold Wisdom of God should be made known to The Rulers and Authorities in The Heavenly Realms, According to His Eternal Purpose that He Accomplished in Christ Jesus Our Lord.  In Him and through Faith in Him We may Approach God with Freedom and Confidence.  For this reason I kneel before The Father, from whom Every Family in Heaven and on Earth derives its Name.  I pray that out of His Glorious Riches He may Strengthen YOU with Power through His Spirit in your Inner Being, so that Christ may Dwell in your hearts through Faith.  And I pray that YOU, being rooted and established in Love, may have Power, together with All The Lord’s Holy People, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is The Love of Christ, and to know this Love that Surpasses Knowledge — that YOU may be filled to The Measure of All The Fullness of God.  Now to Him who is able to do Immeasurably more than all We Ask or Imagine, According to His Power that is at Work within Us, to Him be Glory in The Church and in Christ Jesus throughout All generations, Forever and ever! Amen.  As a prisoner for The Lord, then, I urge YOU to live a Life Worthy of The Calling YOU have Received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in Love.  Make every effort to keep The Unity of The Spirit through The Bond of Peace.  There is One Body and One Spirit, just as YOU were Called to One Hope when YOU were Called; One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism; One God and Father of All, who is over All and through All and in All.  But to each one of Us Grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.  This is why it says: “When He Ascended on High, He took many captives and gave Gifts to His People.”  (What does “He Ascended” mean except that He also descended to the lower, Earthly regions?  He who descended is The Very One Who Ascended Higher than All the Heavens, in Order to Fill The Whole Universe.)  So Christ Himself gave The Apostles, The Prophets, The Evangelists, The Pastors and Teachers, to Equip His People for Works of Service, so that The Body of Christ may be built up until We All Reach Unity in The Faith and in The Knowledge of The Son of God and become Mature, attaining to The Whole Measure of The Fullness of Christ. 

Instead, speaking The Truth in Love, We will grow to become in every respect The Mature Body of Him who is The Head, that is, Christ.  From Him The Whole Body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in Love, as each part does its Work.  To be made New in the Attitude of Your Minds; and to put on the New Self, Created to be like God in True Righteousness and Holiness.  But only what is helpful for building others up according to their Needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave YOU.  Follow God’s Example, therefore, as Dearly Loved Children and Walk in The Way of Love, just as Christ Loved Us and gave Himself up for Us as a Fragrant Offering and Sacrifice to God.  But now YOU are Light in The Lord.  Live as Children of Light (for The Fruit of The Light Consists in All Goodness, Righteousness and Truth) and find out what pleases The Lord.  But everything exposed by The Light becomes Visible — and everything that is illuminated becomes a Light.  This is why it is said: “Wake up, Sleeper, Rise from the dead, and Christ will Shine on YOU.”  Be very careful, then, how YOU Live — not as unwise but as Wise, making The Most of Every Opportunity, therefore do not be foolish, but Understand what The Lord’s Will is.  Instead, be Filled with The Spirit, speaking to one another with Psalms, Hymns, and Songs from The Spirit.  Sing and make Music from your heart to The Lord, always giving thanks to God The Father for Everything, in The Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Submit to one another out of Reverence for Christ.  Wives, submit yourselves to your own Husbands as YOU do to The Lord.  For The Husband is The Head of The wife, as Christ is The Head of The Church, His Body, of which He is The Savior.  Now as The Church submits to Christ, so also Wives should submit to their Husbands in everything.  Husbands, Love your Wives, just as Christ Loved The Church and gave Himself up for Her to make Her Holy, cleansing Her by The Washing with water through The Word, and to present Her to Himself as a Radiant Church, but Holy and Blameless.  In this same way, Husbands ought to Love their Wives as their own bodies.  He who Loves his Wife Loves himself.  After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does The Church — for We are Members of His Body.  “For this reason a man will leave his Father and Mother and be United to his Wife, and The Two will become One Flesh.”  This is a Profound Mystery — but I am talking about Christ and The Church.  However, each one of YOU also must Love his Wife as he Loves himself, and The Wife must respect her Husband.  Finally, be strong in The Lord and in His Mighty Power.   Put on The Full Armor of God, so that YOU can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  Therefore put on The Full Armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, YOU may be able to stand your ground, and after YOU have done everything, to stand.  Stand Firm then, with The Belt of Truth buckled around your waist, with The Breastplate of Righteousness in place, and with your feet Fitted with The Readiness that comes from The Gospel of Peace.  In addition to all this, take up The Shield of Faith, with which YOU can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take The Helmet of Salvation and The Sword of The Spirit, which is The Word of God.  And pray in The Spirit on All occasions with All kinds of Prayers and Requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for All The Lord’s People.  And this is my prayer:  that your Love may abound more and more in Knowledge and Depth of Insight, so that YOU may be able to discern what is best and may be Pure and Blameless for The Day of Christ, filled with The Fruit of Righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to The Glory and Praise of God.  Therefore if YOU have any Encouragement from being United with Christ, if any comfort from His Love, if any common sharing in The Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being Like-minded, having the same Love, being One in Spirit and of One Mind.  Rather, in Humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of YOU to the interests of the others.  Rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being Made in Human Likeness.  And being found in Appearance as a Man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a Cross!  Therefore God exalted Him to The Highest Place and gave Him The Name that is Above Every Name, that at The Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on Earth and under the Earth, and Every Tongue Acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to The Glory of God The Father.  Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that YOU may become Blameless and Pure, “Children of God without Fault in a warped and crooked generation.”  Then YOU will Shine among them like Stars in the Sky as YOU hold firmly to The Word of Life.  Rejoice in The Lord Always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!  Let your Gentleness be evident to All.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about Anything, but in Every situation, by Prayer and Petition, with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And The Peace of God, which Transcends All Understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  I can do All this through Him who gives me Strength.  We continually ask God to fill YOU with The Knowledge of His Will through All The Wisdom and Understanding that The Spirit gives, so that YOU may live a Life Worthy of The Lord and please Him in Every way:  bearing Fruit in every Good Work, growing in The Knowledge of God, being Strengthened with All Power According to His Glorious Might so that YOU may have Great Endurance and Patience, and Giving Joyful Thanks to The Father, who has Qualified YOU to share in The Inheritance of His Holy people in The Kingdom of Light.  For He has rescued Us from the dominion of darkness and brought Us into The Kingdom of The Son He Loves, in whom We have Redemption, The Forgiveness of sins.  The Son is The Image of The Invisible God, The Firstborn over All Creation.  For in Him All Things were Created:  things in Heaven and on Earth, visible and Invisible, whether Thrones or Powers or Rulers or Authorities; All Things have been Created through Him and for Him.  He is before All Things, and in Him All Things hold together.  And He is The Head of The Body, The Church; He is The Beginning and The Firstborn from among the dead, so that in Everything He might have The Supremacy.  For God was Pleased to have All His Fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to Reconcile to Himself All Things, whether things on Earth or things in Heaven, by making Peace through His Blood, shed on The Cross.  But now He has Reconciled YOU by Christ’s physical body through death to present YOU Holy in His Sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if YOU continue in your Faith, established and firm, and do not move from The Hope held out in The Gospel.  This is The Gospel that YOU heard and that has been Proclaimed to every creature under Heaven.  So then, just as YOU received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in The Faith as YOU were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  For in Christ All The Fullness of The Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ YOU have been brought to Fullness.  He is The Head over every Power and Authority.  In Him YOU were also Circumcised with a Circumcision not performed by human hands.  Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when YOU were Circumcised by Christ, having been buried with Him in Baptism, in which YOU were also Raised with Him through your Faith in The Working of God, who Raised Him from the dead.  God made YOU Alive with Christ.  He forgave Us All Our sins, having canceled the charge of Our legal indebtedness, which stood against Us and condemned Us; He has taken it away, nailing it to The Cross.  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, Triumphing over them by The Cross.  Since, then, YOU have been Raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, Seated at The Right Hand of God.  Set your minds on things above for YOU died, and your Life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your Life, appears, then YOU also will appear with Him in Glory.  Since YOU have taken off your old self with its practices and have Put on The New Self, which is being Renewed in Knowledge in The Image of its Creator.  Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is All, and is in All.  Therefore, as God’s Chosen People, Holy and dearly Loved, clothe yourselves with Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness and Patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of YOU has a grievance against someone. Forgive as The Lord forgave YOU.  And over all these virtues put on Love, which binds them all together in Perfect Unity.  Let The Peace of Christ Rule in your hearts, since as Members of One Body YOU were Called to Peace, and be Thankful.  Let The Message of Christ dwell among YOU richly as YOU Teach and Admonish one another with All Wisdom through Psalms, Hymns, and Songs from The Spirit, Singing to God with Gratitude in your hearts.  And whatever YOU do, whether in Word or Deed, do it All in The Name of The Lord Jesus, giving Thanks to God The Father through Him.  Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in The Lord.  Husbands, Love your wives and do not be harsh with them.  Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases The Lord.  Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.  Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.  And pray for Us, too, that God may Open a Door for Our Message, so that We may Proclaim The Mystery of Christ.  Be Wise in the way YOU act toward outsiders; make The Most of Every Opportunity. 

Let your conversation be always Full of Grace, seasoned with salt, so that YOU may know how to answer everyone.  We remember before Our God and Father your Work Produced by Faith, your labor prompted by Love, and your endurance inspired by Hope in Our Lord Jesus Christ.  For We know, Brothers and Sisters Loved by God, that He has Chosen YOU, because Our Gospel came to YOU not simply with words but also with Power, with The Holy Spirit and deep conviction.  YOU became imitators of Us and of The Lord, for YOU welcomed The Message in the midst of severe suffering with the Joy given by The Holy Spirit.  And so YOU became a Model to All the Believers.  The Lord’s Message rang out from YOU — your Faith in God has become known Everywhere.  They tell how YOU turned to God from idols to serve The Living and True God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He Raised from the dead — Jesus, who Rescues Us from The Coming Wrath.  With the help of Our God We dared to tell YOU His Gospel in the face of strong opposition, We speak as those Approved by God to be Entrusted with The Gospel.  We are not trying to please people but God, who tests Our hearts.  For YOU know that We dealt with each of YOU as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging YOU to Live Lives Worthy of God, who Calls YOU into His Kingdom and Glory.  And We also Thank God Continually because, when YOU received The Word of God, which YOU heard from Us, YOU accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, The Word of God, which is indeed at Work in YOU who Believe.  As for other matters, We instructed YOU how to live in order to Please God, as in fact YOU are Living.  Now We ask YOU and urge YOU in The Lord Jesus to do this more and more.  For YOU know what Instructions We gave YOU by The Authority of The Lord Jesus.  It is God’s Will that YOU should be Sanctified:  that each of YOU should learn to control your own body in a way that is Holy and Honorable.  For God did not Call Us to be impure, but to live a Holy Life.  Now about your Love for one another We do not need to write to YOU, for YOU yourselves have been Taught by God to Love each other.  For We Believe that Jesus died and Rose again, and so We Believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have Fallen Asleep in Him.  According to The Lord’s Word, We tell YOU that We who are still Alive, who are left until The Coming of The Lord, will certainly not precede those who have Fallen Asleep.  For The Lord Himself will come down from Heaven, with a Loud Command, with The Voice of The Archangel and with The Trumpet Call of God, and The Dead in Christ will Rise First.  After that, We who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in The Clouds to meet The Lord in the air.  And so We will be with The Lord Forever.  Therefore encourage one another with these words.  For YOU know very well that The Day of The Lord will come like a Thief in The Night.  While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not Escape.  But YOU, are not in darkness so that this Day should surprise YOU like a Thief.  YOU are All Children of The Light and Children of The Day.  So then, let Us not be like others, who are asleep, but let Us be Awake and Sober.  But since We Belong to The Day, let Us be Sober, putting on Faith and Love as a Breastplate, and The Hope of Salvation as a Helmet.  For God did not Appoint Us to suffer Wrath but to receive Salvation through Our Lord Jesus Christ.  He died for Us so that, whether We are Awake or Asleep, We may Live Together with Him.  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact YOU are doing.  Now We ask YOU, to Acknowledge those who Work Hard among YOU, who care for YOU in The Lord and who Admonish YOU.  Hold them in The Highest Regard in Love because of Their Work.  Live in Peace with each other.  And We urge YOU, Warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be Patient with Everyone.  Make sure that Nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is Good for each other and for everyone else.  Rejoice always, Pray continually, give Thanks in All Circumstances; for this is God’s Will for YOU in Christ Jesus.  Do not quench The Spirit.  Do not treat Prophecies with contempt but Test them All; hold on to what is Good, reject every kind of evil.  May God Himself, The God of Peace, Sanctify YOU through and through.  May your Whole Spirit, Soul, and Body be kept Blameless at The Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  The One who Calls YOU is Faithful, and He Will do it.  Concerning The Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ and Our being Gathered to Him.  But We ought always to Thank God for YOU, Brothers and Sisters Loved by The Lord, because God Chose YOU as Firstfruits to be Saved through The Sanctifying Work of The Spirit and through Belief in The Truth.  He Called YOU to this through Our Gospel, that YOU might share in The Glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

May Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God Our Father, who Loved Us and by His Grace gave Us Eternal Encouragement and Good Hope, Encourage your hearts and strengthen YOU in Every Good Deed and Word.  Christ Jesus came into the World to Save sinners.  But for that Very Reason I was shown Mercy so that in me, the worst of Sinners, Christ Jesus might display His Immense Patience as an example for those who would Believe in Him and Receive Eternal Life.  Now to The King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, The Only God, be Honor and Glory For Ever and Ever.  Amen.  I urge, that Petitions, Prayers, Intercession and Thanksgiving be made for All People — for Kings and All those in Authority, that We may Live Peaceful and quiet Lives in all Godliness and Holiness.  This is Good, and Pleases God Our Savior, who wants All People to be Saved and to come to a Knowledge of The Truth.  For there is One God and One Mediator between God and Mankind, The Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a Ransom for All People.  This has now been Witnessed to at The Proper Time.  And for this Purpose I was Appointed a Herald and an Apostle — I am telling The Truth, I am not lying — and a True and Faithful Teacher of The Gentiles.  Whoever Aspires to be an Overseer desires a Noble Task.  Now The Overseer is to be Above Reproach, Faithful to His Wife, Temperate, Self-controlled, Respectable, Hospitable, Able to Teach, He Must Manage His own Family Well and See that His Children Obey Him, and He Must do so in a Manner Worthy of Full Respect.  (If Anyone does not Know How to Manage His Own Family, How can He Take Care of God’s Church?)  He Must also have a Good Reputation with Outsiders, Deacons are to be Worthy of Respect, Sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.  They Must Keep Hold of The Deep Truths of The Faith with a Clear Conscience.  They Must First be Tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them Serve as Deacons.  In the same way, the Women are to be Worthy of Respect, but Temperate and Trustworthy in Everything.  A Deacon Must be Faithful to His Wife and Must Manage His Children and His Household Well.  Those who have Served Well gain an Excellent Standing and Great Assurance in Their Faith in Christ Jesus.  If YOU point these things out to the Brothers and Sisters, YOU will be a Good Minister of Christ Jesus, Nourished on The Truths of The Faith and of The Good Teaching that YOU have Followed.  Rather, Train Yourself to be Godly.   For physical training is of some value, but Godliness has Value for All Things, holding Promise for both The Present Life and The Life to Come.  This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full Acceptance.  That is why We Labor and Strive, because We have put Our Hope in The Living God, Who is The Savior of All People, and especially of those who Believe.  Command and Teach these things.  Set an Example for The Believers in Speech, in Conduct, in Love, in Faith and in Purity.  Devote yourself to The Public Reading of Scripture, to Preaching and to Teaching.  Do not neglect Your Gift, which was given YOU through Prophecy when The Body of Elders laid their hands on YOU.  Be diligent in these matters; give yourself Wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.

Watch your Life and Doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if YOU do, YOU will Save both Yourself and Your Hearers.  Treat Younger Men as Brothers, Older Women as Mothers, and Younger Women as Sisters, with Absolute Purity.  Give Proper Recognition to those Widows who are really in need.  But if a Widow has Children or Grandchildren, these should Learn first of all to put Their Religion into Practice by Caring for their Own Family and so Repaying their Parents and Grandparents, for this is Pleasing to God.  The Widow who is really in need and left all alone puts Her Hope in God and continues night and day to Pray and to ask God for help.  But the Widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.  Give the People these Instructions, so that No One may be Open to Blame.  Anyone who does not Provide for their Relatives, and especially for their Own Household, has denied The Faith and is worse than an Unbeliever.  No Widow may be put on the list of Widows unless she is over sixty, has been Faithful to Her Husband, and is Well known for Her Good Deeds, such as Bringing up Children, Showing Hospitality, Washing The Feet of The Lord’s People, Helping those in trouble and Devoting Herself to All Kinds of Good Deeds.  As for younger Widows, do not put them on such a list.  For when their sensual desires overcome their Dedication to Christ, they want to Marry.  So I counsel younger Widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.  If any Woman Who is a Believer has Widows in Her Care, she should continue to Help Them and not let the Church be burdened with them, so that The Church can help those Widows who are really in need. 

The Elders who Direct The Affairs of The Church Well are Worthy of Double Honor, Especially Those Whose Work is Preaching and Teaching.  For Scripture says, I charge YOU, in The Sight of God and Christ Jesus and The Elect Angels, to keep these Instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.  But YOU, Man of God, flee from all this, and Pursue Righteousness, Godliness, Faith, Love, Endurance and Gentleness.  Fight the Good Fight of The Faith.  Take Hold of the Eternal Life to which YOU were Called when YOU made your Good Confession in the presence of many Witnesses, in The Sight of God, who Gives Life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while Testifying before Pontius Pilate made The Good Confession, I charge YOU to keep this Command without spot or blame until The Appearing of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in His Own Time — God, The Blessed and Only Ruler, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who Alone is Immortal and Who Lives in Unapproachable Light, whom no one has seen or can see.  To Him be Honor and Might Forever.  Amen.  For The Spirit God gave Us does not make Us timid, but gives Us Power, Love and, Self-discipline.  So do not be ashamed of The Testimony about Our Lord.  Rather, join with me in suffering for The Gospel, by The Power of God.  He has Saved Us and Called Us to a Holy Life — not because of anything We have done but because of His Own Purpose and Grace.  This Grace was given Us in Christ Jesus before the Beginning of Time, but it has now been Revealed through The Appearing of Our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought Life and Immortality to Light through The Gospel.  And of this Gospel I was Appointed a Herald and an Apostle and a Teacher.  What YOU Heard from me, Keep as The Pattern of Sound Teaching, with Faith and Love in Christ Jesus.  Guard The Good Deposit that was Entrusted to YOU — Guard it with The Help of The Holy Spirit who Lives in Us.  Remember Jesus Christ, Raised from the dead, descended from David.  Here is a Trustworthy Saying:  If We died with Him, We will also Live with Him; if We Endure, We will also Reign with Him.  If We disown Him, He will also disown Us; if We are faithless, He remains Faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.  Do your Best to Present Yourself to God as One Approved, a Worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles The Word of Truth.  Nevertheless, God’s Solid Foundation Stands Firm, Sealed with this Inscription: “The Lord Knows Those Who Are His,” and, “Everyone Who Confesses The Name of The Lord Must Turn Away from wickedness.”  Pursue Righteousness, Faith, Love, and Peace, along with those who Call on The Lord Out of a Pure Heart.  And The Lord’s Servant Must Be Kind to Everyone, Able to Teach.  Opponents must be Gently Instructed, in The Hope that God will grant them Repentance Leading Them to a Knowledge of The Truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the Devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.  In The Presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who Will Judge The Living and the dead, and in View of His Appearing and His Kingdom, I give YOU this Charge:  Preach The Word; Be Prepared in Season and out of Season; Correct, Rebuke and Encourage — with Great Patience and Careful Instruction.  But YOU, Keep Your Head in All Situations, Endure Hardship, Do The Work of An Evangelist, Discharge All the Duties of Your Ministry.  An Elder Must be Blameless, Faithful to His Wife, a Man Whose Children Believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.  Since an Overseer Manages God’s Household, He Must be Blameless — not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.  Rather, He Must be Hospitable, One Who Loves What is Good, Who is Self-controlled, Upright, Holy and Disciplined.  He Must Hold Firmly to The Trustworthy Message as it has been Taught, so that He can Encourage Others by Sound Doctrine and Refute those who oppose it.  YOU, however, Must Teach what is Appropriate to Sound Doctrine.  Teach The Older Men to be Temperate, Worthy of Respect, Self-controlled, and Sound in Faith, in Love and in Endurance.  Likewise, Teach The Older Women to be Reverent in The Way They Live, but to Teach what is Good.  Then They Can Urge The Younger Women to Love their Husbands and Children, to be Self-controlled and Pure, to be Busy at Home, to be Kind, and to be Subject to their Husbands, so that No One will malign The Word of God.  Similarly, Encourage The Young Men to be Self-controlled.  In Everything Set Them an Example by Doing What is Good.  In Your Teaching Show Integrity, Seriousness, and Soundness of Speech that cannot be condemned.  For The Grace of God Has Appeared that Offers Salvation to All People. 

It Teaches Us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to Live Self-controlled, Upright and Godly Lives in This Present Age, While We wait for The Blessed Hope — The Appearing of The Glory of Our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself For Us to Redeem Us from all wickedness and to Purify for Himself a People that are His Very Own, Eager to Do What is Good.  These, then, are the Things YOU Should Teach.  Encourage and Rebuke with All Authority.  Remind the People to be Subject to Rulers and Authorities, to be Obedient, to be Ready to Do Whatever is Good, to slander no one, to be Peaceable and Considerate, and Always to be Gentle Toward Everyone.  But when The Kindness and Love of God Our Savior Appeared, He Saved Us, not because of Righteous Things We had done, but because of His Mercy.  He Saved Us through The Washing of Rebirth and Renewal by The Holy Spirit, Whom He Poured Out on Us Generously Through Jesus Christ Our Savior, so that, having been Justified by His Grace, We Might Become Heirs having The Hope of Eternal Life.