A Life Pleasing to God

4 Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more.^(A)

¹⁰ so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.^(A)

Thanksgiving

³ We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.^(A)

¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.^[a]

¹⁶ Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

⁹ And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight^(A)

Unity in the Body of Christ

4 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,^(A)

²² and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.^(A)

⁹ yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.^{[a] 10} I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.^(A)