Philippians 4 - Colossians 1

English Standard Version

4 Therefore, my brothers,^[a] whom I love and ^(A)long for, ^(B)my joy and ^(C)crown, ^(D)stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer

² I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to ^(E)agree in the Lord. ³ Yes, I ask you also, true companion,^[b] help these women, who have labored^[c] side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, ^(F)whose names are in the book of life.

^4 (G)Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness^[d] be known to everyone. ^(H)The Lord is at hand; ^6 (I)do not be anxious about anything, ^(J)but in everything by prayer and supplication ^(K)with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And ^(L)the peace of God, ^(M)which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned^[e] and ^(N)received and heard and seen ^(O)in me—practice these things, and ^(P)the God of peace will be with you.

God's Provision

¹⁰ I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length ^(Q)you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be ^(R)content. ¹² I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and ^(S)hunger, abundance and ^(T)need. ¹³ I can do all things ^(U)through him who strengthens me.

¹⁴ Yet it was kind of you ^(V)to share^[f] my trouble. ¹⁵ And you Philippians yourselves know that ^(W)in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, ^(X)no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. ¹⁶ Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. ^17 (Y)Not that I seek the gift, but I seek ^(Z)the fruit that increases to your credit.^{[g] 18} I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, ^(AA)having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, ^(AB)a fragrant offering, ^(AC)a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God ^(AD)will supply every need of yours ^(AE)according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ To ^(AF)our God and Father be ^(AG)glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

²¹ Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. ^(AH)The brothers who are with me greet you. ^22 (AI)All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.

^23 (AJ)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(AK)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^(AL)by the will of God, and Timothy ^(AM)our brother,

² To the ^(AN)saints and faithful brothers^[h] in Christ at Colossae:

^(AO)Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

^3 (AP)We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ since we heard of ^(AQ)your faith in Christ Jesus and of ^(AR)the love that you have for all the saints, ⁵ because of ^(AS)the hope ^(AT)laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in ^(AU)the word of the truth, the gospel, ⁶ which has come to you, as indeed ^(AV)in the whole world it is ^(AW)bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you ^(AX)heard it and understood ^(AY)the grace of God in truth, ⁷ just as you learned it from ^(AZ)Epaphras our beloved ^(BA)fellow servant.^[i] He is ^(BB)a faithful minister of Christ on your^[j] behalf ⁸ and has made known to us your ^(BC)love in the Spirit.

⁹ And so, ^(BD)from the day we heard, ^(BE)we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that ^(BF)you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all ^(BG)spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰ so as ^(BH)to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^(BI)fully pleasing to him: ^(BJ)bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ^11 (BK)being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for ^(BL)all endurance and patience ^(BM)with joy; ^12 (BN)giving thanks^[k] to the Father, who has qualified you^[l] to share in ^(BO)the inheritance of the saints in light. ¹³ He ^(BP)has delivered us from ^(BQ)the domain of darkness and transferred us to ^(BR)the kingdom of ^(BS)his beloved Son, ^14 (BT)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Preeminence of Christ

^15 (BU)He is the image of ^(BV)the invisible God, ^(BW)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by^[m] him all things were created, ^(BX)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(BY)thrones or ^(BZ)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(CA)through him and for him. ¹⁷ And ^(CB)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(CC)hold together. ¹⁸ And ^(CD)he is the head of the body, the church. He is ^(CE)the beginning, ^(CF)the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹ For ^(CG)in him all the ^(CH)fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and ^(CI)through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, ^(CJ)making peace ^(CK)by the blood of his cross.

^21 (CL)And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, ^(CM)doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled ^(CN)in his body of flesh by his death, ^(CO)in order to present you holy and blameless and ^(CP)above reproach before him, ^23 (CQ)if indeed you continue in the faith, ^(CR)stable and steadfast, not shifting from ^(CS)the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed ^(CT)in all creation^[n] under heaven, ^(CU)and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Paul's Ministry to the Church

²⁴ Now ^(CV)I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(CW)I am filling up ^(CX)what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ^(CY)for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ^25 (CZ)of which I became a minister according to ^(DA)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ^26 (DB)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ^27 (DC)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(DD)the riches of the glory of ^(DE)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(DF)the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(DG)we may present everyone ^(DH)mature in Christ. ²⁹ For this ^(DI)I toil, ^(DJ)struggling ^(DK)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.