Paul’s Stewardship

3 For this reason I, Paul, ^(A)the prisoner of ^(B)Christ Jesus ^(C)for the sake of you ^(D)Gentiles— ² if indeed you have heard of the ^(E)administration of God’s grace which was given to me for you; ^3 (F)that ^(G)by revelation there was ^(H)made known to me ^(I)the mystery, ^(J)as I wrote before briefly. ^4 [a]By referring to this, when you read you can understand ^(K)my insight ^[b]into the ^(L)mystery of Christ, ⁵ which in other generations was not made known to ^[c]mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy ^(M)apostles and prophets ^[d]in the Spirit; ⁶ to be specific, that the Gentiles are ^(N)fellow heirs and ^(O)fellow members of the body, and ^(P)fellow partakers of the promise in ^(Q)Christ Jesus through the gospel, ^7 (R)of which I was made a ^(S)minister, according to the gift of ^(T)God’s grace which was given to me ^(U)according to the working of His power. ⁸ To me, ^(V)the very least of all ^[e]saints, this grace was given, to ^(W)preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable ^(X)riches of Christ, ⁹ and to ^[f]enlighten all people as to what the plan of the ^(Y)mystery is which for ages has been ^(Z)hidden in God, ^(AA)who created all things; ¹⁰ so that the multifaceted ^(AB)wisdom of God might now be ^(AC)made known through the church to the ^(AD)rulers and the authorities in ^(AE)the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was in ^(AF)accordance with the ^[g]eternal purpose which He ^[h]carried out in ^(AG)Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have boldness and ^[i](AH)confident ^(AI)access through faith ^[j]in Him. ¹³ Therefore I ask ^[k]you not ^(AJ)to become discouraged about my tribulations ^(AK)in your behalf, ^[l]since they are your glory.

¹⁴ For this reason I ^(AL)bend my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom ^[m]every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to ^(AM)the riches of His glory, to be ^(AN)strengthened with power through His Spirit in ^(AO)the inner ^[n]self, ¹⁷ so that ^(AP)Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being ^(AQ)rooted and ^(AR)grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with ^(AS)all the ^[o]saints what is ^(AT)the width and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know ^(AU)the love of Christ which ^(AV)surpasses knowledge, that you may be ^(AW)filled to all the ^(AX)fullness of God.

^20 (AY)Now to Him who is ^(AZ)able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, ^(BA)according to the power that works within us, ^21 (BB)to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations ^[p]forever and ever. Amen.

Unity of the Spirit

4 Therefore I, ^(BC)the prisoner of the Lord, ^(BD)urge you to ^(BE)walk in a manner worthy of the ^(BF)calling with which you have been ^(BG)called, ² with all ^(BH)humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another ^(BI)in love, ³ being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the ^(BJ)bond of peace. ⁴ There is ^(BK)one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one ^(BL)hope of your calling; ^5 (BM)one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all ^(BN)who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷ But ^(BO)to each one of us ^(BP)grace was given ^(BQ)according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore ^[q]it says,

⁹ (Now this expression, “He ^(BT)ascended,” what ^[r]does it mean except that He also ^[s]had descended into ^(BU)the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is Himself also He who ascended ^(BV)far above all the heavens, so that He might ^(BW)fill all things.) ¹¹ And He ^(BX)gave ^(BY)some as apostles, some as prophets, some as ^(BZ)evangelists, some as ^[t]pastors and ^(CA)teachers, ^12 (CB)for the equipping of the ^[u]saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of ^(CC)the body of Christ; ¹³ until we all attain to ^(CD)the unity of the faith, and of the ^[v](CE)knowledge of the Son of God, to a ^(CF)mature man, to the measure of the stature ^[w]which belongs to the ^(CG)fullness of Christ. ^14 [x]As a result, we are ^(CH)no longer to be children, ^(CI)tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by ^(CJ)craftiness ^[y]in ^(CK)deceitful scheming; ¹⁵ but ^[z]speaking the truth ^(CL)in love, ^[aa]we are to ^(CM)grow up in all aspects into Him who is the ^(CN)head, that is, Christ, ¹⁶ from whom ^(CO)the whole body, being fitted and held together ^[ab]by what every joint supplies, according to the ^[ac]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself ^(CP)in love.

The Christian’s Walk

^17 (CQ)So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, ^(CR)that you are to no longer walk just as the ^[ad]Gentiles also walk, in the ^(CS)futility of their minds, ¹⁸ being ^(CT)darkened in their understanding, ^[ae](CU)excluded from the life of God because of the ^(CV)ignorance that is in them, because of the ^(CW)hardness of their heart; ¹⁹ and they, having ^(CX)become callous, ^(CY)have given themselves up to ^(CZ)indecent behavior ^[af]for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. ²⁰ But you did not ^(DA)learn Christ in this way, ²¹ if indeed you ^(DB)have heard Him and have ^(DC)been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, ²² that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to ^(DD)rid yourselves of the ^(DE)old ^[ag]self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the ^(DF)lusts of deceit, ²³ and that you are to be ^(DG)renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to ^(DH)put on the ^(DI)new ^[ah]self, which ^[ai](DJ)in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

²⁵ Therefore, ^(DK)ridding yourselves of falsehood, ^(DL)speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are ^(DM)parts of one another. ^26 (DN)Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and do not ^(DO)give the devil ^[aj]an opportunity. ²⁸ The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather ^(DP)he must labor, ^(DQ)producing with his own hands what is good, ^(DR)so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. ²⁹ Let no ^[ak](DS)unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for ^(DT)edification ^[al]according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. ^30 (DU)Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^[am]by whom you were ^(DV)sealed for the day of redemption. ^31 (DW)All bitterness, wrath, anger, ^[an]clamor, and slander must be ^(DX)removed from you, along with all ^(DY)malice. ^32 (DZ)Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, ^(EA)just as God in Christ also has forgiven ^[ao]you.

Be Imitators of God

5 ^(EB)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ² and ^(EC)walk in love, just as Christ also ^(ED)loved ^[ap]you and ^(EE)gave Himself up for us, an ^(EF)offering and a sacrifice to God ^[aq]as a ^(EG)fragrant aroma.

³ But ^(EH)sexual immorality ^[ar]or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among ^[as]saints; ⁴ and there must be no ^(EI)filthiness ^[at]or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which ^(EJ)are not fitting, but rather ^(EK)giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know with certainty, that ^(EL)no sexually immoral or ^[au]impure or greedy person, which ^[av]amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom ^(EM)of Christ and God.

^6 (EN)See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things ^(EO)the wrath of God comes upon ^(EP)the ^[aw]sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not become ^(EQ)partners with them; ⁸ for ^(ER)you were once ^(ES)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as ^(ET)children of light ⁹ (for ^(EU)the fruit of the light consists in all ^(EV)goodness, righteousness, and truth), ^10 [ax](EW)as you try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ^11 (EX)Do not participate in the useless ^(EY)deeds of ^(EZ)darkness, but instead even ^(FA)expose them; ¹² for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But all things become visible ^(FB)when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason ^[ay]it says,

¹⁵ So then, ^[az]be careful how you ^(FF)walk, not ^(FG)as unwise people but as wise, ^16 [ba](FH)making the most of your time, because ^(FI)the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but ^(FJ)understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And ^(FK)do not get drunk with wine, ^[bb]in which there is ^(FL)debauchery, but be ^(FM)filled with the Spirit, ^19 (FN)speaking to ^[bc]one another in ^(FO)psalms and ^(FP)hymns and spiritual ^(FQ)songs, ^(FR)singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; ^20 (FS)always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our ^(FT)God and Father; ^21 [bd](FU)and subject yourselves to one another in the ^[be](FV)fear of Christ.

Marriage like Christ and the Church

^22 (FW)Wives, ^(FX)subject yourselves to your own husbands, ^(FY)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(FZ)the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the ^(GA)head of the church, He Himself ^(GB)being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

^25 (GC)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and ^(GD)gave Himself up for her, ^26 (GE)so that He might sanctify her, having ^(GF)cleansed her by the ^(GG)washing of water with ^(GH)the word, ²⁷ that He might ^(GI)present to Himself the church ^[bf]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be ^(GJ)holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands also ought to ^(GK)love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; ²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰ because we are ^(GL)parts of His ^(GM)body. ^31 (GN)For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ³² This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless, as for you individually, each husband is to ^(GO)love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she ^(GP)respects her husband.

Children and Parents

6 ^(GQ)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ^2 (GR)Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), ³ so that it may turn out well for you, and that you may live long on the earth.

^4 (GS)Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but ^(GT)bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

^5 (GU)Slaves, be obedient to those who are your ^[bg]masters according to the flesh, with ^(GV)fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, ^(GW)as to Christ; ^6 (GX)not ^[bh]by way of ^[bi]eye-service, as ^(GY)people-pleasers, but as ^(GZ)slaves of Christ, ^(HA)doing the will of God from the ^[bj]heart. ⁷ With goodwill ^[bk]render service, ^(HB)as to the Lord, and not to people, ^8 (HC)knowing that ^(HD)whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, ^(HE)whether slave or free.

⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, and ^(HF)give up threatening, knowing that ^(HG)both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is ^(HH)no partiality with Him.

The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, ^(HI)be strong in the Lord and in ^(HJ)the strength of His might. ^11 (HK)Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the ^(HL)schemes of the devil. ¹² For our ^(HM)struggle is not against ^[bl](HN)flesh and blood, but ^(HO)against the rulers, against the powers, against the ^(HP)world forces of this ^(HQ)darkness, against the ^(HR)spiritual forces of wickedness in ^(HS)the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up ^(HT)the full armor of God, so that you will be able to ^(HU)resist on ^(HV)the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand firm therefore, ^(HW)having belted your waist with truth, and having ^(HX)put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having ^(HY)strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; ^16 [bm]in addition to all, taking up the ^(HZ)shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the ^(IA)flaming arrows of ^(IB)the evil one. ¹⁷ And take ^(IC)the helmet of salvation and the ^(ID)sword of the Spirit, which is ^(IE)the word of God.

^18 [bn]With every ^(IF)prayer and request, ^[bo](IG)pray at all times ^(IH)in the Spirit, and with this in view, ^[bp](II)be alert with all ^(IJ)perseverance and every ^(IK)request for all the ^[bq]saints, ¹⁹ and ^(IL)pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me ^(IM)in the opening of my mouth, to make known with ^(IN)boldness ^(IO)the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ^(IP)ambassador ^(IQ)in ^[br]chains; that ^[bs]in proclaiming it I may speak ^(IR)boldly, ^(IS)as I ought to speak.

^21 (IT)Now, so that you also may know about my circumstances as to ^[bt]what I am doing, ^(IU)Tychicus, ^(IV)the beloved brother and faithful ^[bu]servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you. ^22 [bv](IW)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know ^[bw]about us, and that he may ^(IX)comfort your hearts.

^23 (IY)Peace be to the brothers and sisters, and ^(IZ)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ ^[bx]with incorruptible love.

Thanksgiving

1 ^(A)Paul and ^(B)Timothy, ^(C)bond-servants of ^(D)Christ Jesus,

To ^(E)all the ^[a](F)saints in Christ Jesus who are in ^(G)Philippi, ^[b]including the ^(H)overseers and ^(I)deacons: ^2 (J)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^3 (K)I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, ⁴ always offering prayer with joy in ^(L)my every prayer for you all, ⁵ in view of your ^[c](M)participation in the ^(N)gospel ^(O)from the first day until now. ⁶ For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work ^[d]among you will complete it ^[e]by ^(P)the day of Christ Jesus. ^7 [f]For ^(Q)it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I ^(R)have you in my heart, since both in my ^[g](S)imprisonment and in the ^(T)defense and confirmation of the ^(U)gospel, you all are ^[h]partakers of grace with me. ⁸ For ^(V)God is my witness, how I long for you all with the ^[i]affection of ^(W)Christ Jesus. ⁹ And this I pray, that ^(X)your love may overflow still more and more in ^(Y)real knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may ^[j](Z)discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for ^(AA)the day of Christ; ¹¹ having been filled with the ^(AB)fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.

The Gospel Is Preached

¹² Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances ^(AC)have turned out for the greater progress of the ^(AD)gospel, ¹³ so that my ^[k](AE)imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the ^[l]praetorian guard and to ^(AF)everyone else, ¹⁴ and that most of the brothers and sisters, ^[m]trusting in the Lord because of my ^[n](AG)imprisonment, have ^(AH)far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. ^15 (AI)Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even ^[o]from envy and strife, but some also ^[p]from goodwill; ¹⁶ the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the ^(AJ)gospel; ¹⁷ the former proclaim Christ ^(AK)out of selfish ambition ^[q]rather than from pure motives, thinking that they are causing me distress in my ^[r](AL)imprisonment. ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.

But not only that, I also will rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that this will turn out for my ^[s]deliverance ^(AM)through your ^[t]prayers and the provision of ^(AN)the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰ according to my ^(AO)eager expectation and ^(AP)hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with ^(AQ)all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be ^(AR)exalted in my body, ^(AS)whether by life or by death.

To Live Is Christ

²¹ For to me, ^(AT)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ^22 [u]But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean ^(AU)fruitful labor for me; and I do not know ^[v]which to choose. ²³ But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the ^(AV)desire to depart and ^(AW)be with Christ, for that is very much better; ²⁴ yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes. ^25 (AX)Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy ^[w]in the faith, ²⁶ so that your ^(AY)pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again.

²⁷ Only conduct yourselves in a manner ^(AZ)worthy of the ^(BA)gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are ^(BB)standing firm in ^(BC)one spirit, with one ^[x]mind ^(BD)striving together for the faith of the gospel; ²⁸ and in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a ^(BE)sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and this too, from God. ²⁹ For to you ^(BF)it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to ^(BG)suffer on His behalf, ³⁰ experiencing the same ^(BH)conflict which ^(BI)you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.