The Glory of Zion

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We always thank God,^(A) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love^(B) you have for all God’s people^(C)— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope^(D) stored up for you in heaven^(E) and about which you have already heard in the true message^(F) of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit^(G) and growing throughout the whole world^(H)—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras,^(I) our dear fellow servant,^[a] who is a faithful minister^(J) of Christ on our^[b] behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.^(K)

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you,^(L) we have not stopped praying for you.^(M) We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will^(N) through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^{[c](O) 10} so that you may live a life worthy^(P) of the Lord and please him^(Q) in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,^{(R) 11} being strengthened with all power^(S) according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,^{(T) 12} and giving joyful thanks to the Father,^(U) who has qualified you^[d] to share in the inheritance^(V) of his holy people in the kingdom of light.^{(W) 13} For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness^(X) and brought us into the kingdom^(Y) of the Son he loves,^(Z)

[The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.]

⁹ When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,^(A) out of whom he had driven seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.^(B)

¹² Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.^{(C) 13} These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.^(D)

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.^{(E) 16} Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.^{(F) 17} And these signs^(G) will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;^(H) they will speak in new tongues;^{(I) 18} they will pick up snakes^(J) with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on^(K) sick people, and they will get well.”

¹⁹ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven^(L) and he sat at the right hand of God.^{(M) 20} Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs^(N) that accompanied it.