Appeal to Unity

1 Paul, ^(A)called as an apostle of Jesus Christ ^[a]by ^(B)the will of God, and our ^(C)brother ^(D)Sosthenes,

² To ^(E)the church of God which is in ^(F)Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, ^[b]saints ^(G)by calling, with all who in every place ^(H)call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

^3 (I)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^4 (J)I thank ^[c]my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵ that in everything you were ^(K)enriched in Him, in all ^(L)speech and ^(M)all knowledge, ⁶ just as ^(N)the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed ^[d]in you, ⁷ so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you eagerly ^(O)await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^8 (P)who will also ^[e]confirm you to the end, blameless on ^(Q)the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ^9 (R)God is faithful, through whom you were ^(S)called into ^(T)fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

¹⁰ Now ^(U)I urge you, ^(V)brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all ^[f]agree and that there be no ^[g](W)divisions among you, but that you be ^[h]made complete in ^(X)the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹ For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. ¹² Now I mean this, that ^(Y)each one of you is saying, “I am ^[i]with Paul,” ^[j]or “I am ^[k]with ^(Z)Apollos,” ^[l]or “I am ^[m]with ^[n](AA)Cephas,” ^[o]or “I am ^[p]with Christ.” ^13 [q]Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you ^(AB)baptized ^[r]in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I am thankful that I ^(AC)baptized none of you except ^(AD)Crispus and ^(AE)Gaius, ¹⁵ so that no one would say you were baptized ^[s]in my name! ¹⁶ But I did baptize the ^(AF)household of Stephanas also; beyond that, I do not know if I baptized anyone else. ^17 (AG)For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, ^(AH)not with ^[t]cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made of no effect.

The Wisdom of God

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is ^(AI)foolishness to ^(AJ)those who ^[u]are perishing, but to us who ^[v]are being saved it is ^(AK)the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:

^20 (AM)Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of ^(AN)this age? Has God not ^(AO)made foolish the wisdom of ^(AP)the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God ^(AQ)the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, ^(AR)God ^[w]was pleased through the ^(AS)foolishness of the ^[x]message preached to ^(AT)save those who believe. ²² For indeed ^(AU)Jews ask for ^[y]signs and Greeks search for wisdom; ²³ but we preach ^[z](AV)Christ crucified, ^(AW)to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles ^(AX)foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are ^(AY)the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(AZ)the power of God and ^(BA)the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the ^(BB)foolishness of God is wiser than mankind, and ^(BC)the weakness of God is stronger than mankind.

²⁶ For ^[aa]consider your ^(BD)calling, brothers and sisters, that there were ^(BE)not many wise according to ^[ab]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; ²⁷ but ^(BF)God has chosen the foolish things of ^(BG)the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of ^(BH)the world to shame the things which are strong, ²⁸ and the ^[ac]insignificant things of ^(BI)the world and the despised God has chosen, ^(BJ)the things that are not, so that He may ^(BK)nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that ^(BL)no ^[ad]human may boast before God. ³⁰ But it is ^[ae]due to Him that you are in ^(BM)Christ Jesus, who became to us ^(BN)wisdom from God, ^[af]and ^(BO)righteousness and ^(BP)sanctification, and ^(BQ)redemption, ³¹ so that, just as it is written: “^(BR)Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Introduction

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle of ^(B)Christ Jesus ^(C)by the will of God, and our brother ^(D)Timothy,

To ^(E)the church of God which is at ^(F)Corinth with all the ^[a]saints who are throughout ^(G)Achaia:

^2 (H)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^3 (I)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and ^(J)God of all comfort, ⁴ who ^(K)comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in ^[b]any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For just ^(L)as the sufferings of Christ are ^[c]ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. ⁶ But if we are afflicted, it is ^(M)for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; ⁷ and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that ^(N)as you are partners in our sufferings, so also you are in our comfort.

⁸ For ^(O)we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our ^(P)affliction which occurred in ^[d](Q)Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. ^9 [e]Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, ¹⁰ who ^(R)rescued us from so great a danger of death, and will rescue us, He ^[f](S)on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, ¹¹ if you also join in ^(T)helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by ^(U)many persons in our behalf for the favor granted to us through the prayers of many.

Paul’s Integrity

¹² For our ^[g]proud confidence is this: the testimony of ^(V)our conscience, that in holiness and ^(W)godly sincerity, ^(X)not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. ¹³ For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand ^(Y)until the end; ¹⁴ just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, on ^(Z)the day of our Lord Jesus.

¹⁵ In this confidence I intended at first to ^(AA)come to you, so that you might ^[h]twice receive a ^[i](AB)blessing; ^16 [j]that is, to ^(AC)pass ^[k]your way into ^(AD)Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be ^(AE)helped on my journey to Judea. ¹⁷ Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I decide, do I decide ^(AF)according to the flesh, so that with me there will be ^[l]yes, yes and no, no at the same time? ¹⁸ But as ^(AG)God is faithful, ^(AH)our word to you is not yes and no. ¹⁹ For ^(AI)the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and ^(AJ)Silvanus and ^(AK)Timothy—was not yes and no, but has been yes ^(AL)in Him. ²⁰ For ^(AM)as many as the promises of God are, ^(AN)in Him they are yes; therefore through Him also is ^(AO)our Amen to the glory of God through us. ²¹ Now He who ^(AP)establishes us with you in Christ and ^(AQ)anointed us is God, ²² who also ^(AR)sealed us and ^(AS)gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a ^[m]pledge.

²³ But ^(AT)I call God as witness to my soul, that it was ^(AU)to spare you that I did not come again to ^(AV)Corinth. ²⁴ Not that we ^(AW)domineer over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are ^(AX)standing firm.

Introduction

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle (^(B)not sent from men nor through human agency, but ^(C)through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who ^(D)raised Him from the dead), ² and all ^(E)the brothers who are with me,

To ^(F)the churches of Galatia:

^3 (G)Grace to you and peace from ^[a]God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who ^(H)gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from ^(I)this present evil ^[b]age, according to the will of ^(J)our God and Father, ^5 (K)to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

Distortion of the Gospel

⁶ I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting ^(L)Him who called you ^[c]by the grace of Christ, for a ^(M)different gospel, ⁷ which is not just another account; but there are some who are ^(N)disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or ^(O)an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be ^[d](P)accursed! ⁹ As we ^(Q)have said before, even now I say again: ^(R)if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be ^[e](S)accursed!

¹⁰ For am I now ^(T)seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a ^(U)bond-servant of Christ.

Paul Defends His Ministry

¹¹ For ^(V)I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was preached by me is ^(W)not ^[f]of human invention. ¹² For ^(X)I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a ^(Y)revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³ For you have heard of ^(Z)my former way of life in Judaism, how I ^(AA)used to persecute ^(AB)the church of God beyond measure and ^(AC)tried to destroy it; ¹⁴ and I ^(AD)was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my ^[g]countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ^(AE)ancestral traditions. ¹⁵ But when ^[h]He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and ^(AF)called me through His grace was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me so that I might ^(AG)preach Him among the Gentiles, ^(AH)I did not immediately consult with ^[i](AI)flesh and blood, ^17 (AJ)nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to ^(AK)Damascus.

¹⁸ Then ^(AL)three years later I went up ^(AM)to Jerusalem to ^[j]become acquainted with ^[k](AN)Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I did not see another one of the apostles except ^[l](AO)James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ (Now in what I am writing to you, ^[m]I assure you ^(AP)before God that I am not lying.) ²¹ Then ^(AQ)I went into the regions of ^(AR)Syria and ^(AS)Cilicia. ²² I was still unknown by ^[n]sight to ^(AT)the churches of Judea which are ^(AU)in Christ; ²³ but they only kept hearing, “The man who once persecuted us is now preaching ^(AV)the faith which he once ^(AW)tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they ^(AX)were glorifying God ^[o]because of me.

The Blessings of Redemption

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle of ^(B)Christ Jesus ^[a](C)by the will of God,

To the ^[b](D)saints who are ^[c]at ^(E)Ephesus and ^(F)are faithful in ^(G)Christ Jesus: ^2 (H)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^3 (I)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in ^(J)the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as ^(K)He chose us in Him before ^(L)the foundation of the world, that we would be ^(M)holy and blameless before ^[d]Him. ^(N)In love ^5 [e]He ^(O)predestined us to ^(P)adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, ^(Q)according to the good pleasure of His will, ^6 (R)to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in ^(S)the Beloved. ^7 (T)In ^[f]Him we have ^(U)redemption ^(V)through His blood, the ^(W)forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to ^(X)the riches of His grace ⁸ which He ^[g]lavished on ^[h]us. In all wisdom and insight ⁹ He ^[i](Y)made known to us the mystery of His will, ^(Z)according to His good pleasure which He ^(AA)set forth in Him, ¹⁰ regarding His plan of ^(AB)the fullness of the times, ^(AC)to bring all things together in Christ, things ^[j]in the heavens and things on the earth. ^11 [k]In Him we also ^(AD)have obtained an inheritance, having been ^(AE)predestined ^(AF)according to the purpose of Him who works all things ^(AG)in accordance with the plan of His will, ¹² to the end that ^[l]we who were the first to hope in the ^[m]Christ would be ^(AH)to the praise of His glory. ¹³ In ^[n]Him, ^[o]you also, after listening to ^(AI)the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also ^[p]believed, you were ^(AJ)sealed in ^[q]Him with ^(AK)the Holy Spirit of the promise, ¹⁴ who is a ^(AL)first installment of ^(AM)our inheritance, in regard to the ^(AN)redemption of ^(AO)God’s own possession, ^(AP)to the praise of His glory.

¹⁵ For this reason I too, ^(AQ)having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and ^[r]your love for ^(AR)all the ^[s]saints, ^16 (AS)do not cease giving thanks for you, ^(AT)while making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷ that the ^(AU)God of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(AV)the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of ^(AW)wisdom and of ^(AX)revelation in the ^[t]knowledge of Him. ¹⁸ I pray that ^(AY)the eyes of your heart ^[u]may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the ^(AZ)hope of His ^(BA)calling, what are ^(BB)the riches of the glory of ^(BC)His inheritance in ^(BD)the ^[v]saints, ¹⁹ and what is the ^[w]boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. ^(BE)These are in accordance with the working of the ^(BF)strength of His might ²⁰ which He brought about in Christ, when He ^(BG)raised Him from the dead and ^(BH)seated Him at His right hand in ^(BI)the heavenly places, ²¹ far above ^(BJ)all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every ^(BK)name that is named, not only in ^(BL)this age but also in the one to come. ²² And He ^(BM)put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him ^(BN)head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His ^(BO)body, the ^(BP)fullness of Him who ^(BQ)fills ^(BR)all in all.

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.

Thankfulness for Spiritual Attainments

1 ^(A)Paul, ^(B)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^[a](C)by the will of God, and ^(D)Timothy ^[b]our brother,

² To the ^[c](E)saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who are at Colossae: ^(F)Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

^3 (G)We ^[d]give thanks to God, ^(H)the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, ^4 (I)since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the ^(J)love which you have ^[e]for ^(K)all the ^[f]saints; ⁵ because of the ^(L)hope ^(M)reserved for you in ^[g]heaven, of which you previously ^(N)heard in the word of truth, ^[h]the gospel ⁶ which has come to you, just as ^[i](O)in all the world also it is bearing ^(P)fruit and ^[j]increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you ^(Q)heard it and ^[k]understood the grace of God in truth; ⁷ just as you learned it from ^(R)Epaphras, our ^(S)beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, ⁸ and he also informed us of your ^(T)love in the Spirit.

⁹ For this reason we also, ^(U)since the day we heard about it, ^(V)have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the ^[l](W)knowledge of His will in all spiritual ^(X)wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰ so that you will ^(Y)walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^[m](Z)to please Him in all respects, ^(AA)bearing fruit in every good work and ^[n]increasing in the ^[o]knowledge of God; ^11 (AB)strengthened with all power, according to ^[p]His glorious might, ^[q]for the attaining of all perseverance and ^[r]patience; ^(AC)joyously ¹² giving thanks to ^(AD)the Father, who has qualified us ^[s]to share in ^(AE)the inheritance of the ^[t]saints in ^(AF)light.

The Incomparable Christ

^13 [u]For He rescued us from the ^[v](AG)domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of ^[w](AH)His beloved Son, ^14 (AI)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

^15 [x]He is the ^(AJ)image of the ^(AK)invisible God, the ^(AL)firstborn of all creation: ¹⁶ for ^[y](AM)by Him all things were created, ^(AN)both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(AO)thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—^(AP)all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He ^[z](AQ)is before all things, and in Him all things ^[aa]hold together. ¹⁸ He is also the ^(AR)head of ^(AS)the body, the church; and He is ^(AT)the beginning, ^(AU)the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹ For ^[ab]it was ^(AV)the Father’s good pleasure for all ^(AW)the ^[ac]fullness to dwell in Him, ²⁰ and through Him to ^(AX)reconcile all things to Himself, ^(AY)whether things on earth or things in ^[ad]heaven, having made ^(AZ)peace through ^(BA)the blood of His cross.

²¹ And although you were ^(BB)previously alienated and hostile in attitude, engaged in evil deeds, ²² yet He has now ^(BC)reconciled you in His ^(BD)body of flesh through death, in order to ^(BE)present you before Him ^(BF)holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ²³ if indeed you continue in ^[ae]the faith firmly ^(BG)established and steadfast, and not shifting from the ^(BH)hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed ^(BI)in all creation under heaven, ^(BJ)and of which I, Paul, ^[af]was made a ^[ag](BK)minister.

^24 (BL)Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(BM)I am supplementing what is lacking ^[ah]in Christ’s afflictions in behalf of ^(BN)His body, which is the church. ^25 (BO)I ^[ai]was made a minister of this church according to the ^(BP)commission from God granted to me for your benefit, so that I might ^[aj]fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, ²⁶ that is, ^(BQ)the mystery which had been hidden from the past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His ^[ak]saints, ²⁷ to whom ^(BR)God willed to make known what ^(BS)the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, the mystery that is ^(BT)Christ in you, the ^(BU)hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim Him, ^(BV)admonishing every person and teaching every person ^[al]with all ^(BW)wisdom, so that we may ^(BX)present every person ^[am](BY)complete in Christ. ²⁹ For this purpose I also ^(BZ)labor, ^(CA)striving ^(CB)according to His ^[an]power which ^[ao]works mightily within me.