Thanksgiving and Prayer

¹⁵ For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus^(A) and your love for all God’s people,^{(B) 16} I have not stopped giving thanks for you,^(C) remembering you in my prayers.^{(D) 17} I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,^(E) may give you the Spirit^[a] of wisdom^(F) and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened^(G) in order that you may know the hope to which he has called^(H) you, the riches^(I) of his glorious inheritance^(J) in his holy people,^{(K) 19} and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power^(L) is the same as the mighty strength^{(M) 20} he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead^(N) and seated him at his right hand^(O) in the heavenly realms,^{(P) 21} far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,^(Q) and every name^(R) that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.^{(S) 22} And God placed all things under his feet^(T) and appointed him to be head^(U) over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body,^(V) the fullness of him^(W) who fills everything in every way.^(X)

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss^(A) for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing^(B) Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ^{(C) 9} and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,^(D) but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness^(E) that comes from God on the basis of faith.^{(F) 10} I want to know^(G) Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,^(H) becoming like him in his death,^{(I) 11} and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection^(J) from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,^(K) but I press on to take hold^(L) of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.^{(M) 13} Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind^(N) and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on^(O) toward the goal to win the prize^(P) for which God has called^(Q) me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Paul’s Example

¹⁵ All of us, then, who are mature^(R) should take such a view of things.^(S) And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.^{(T) 16} Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

¹⁷ Join together in following my example,^(U) brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.^{(V) 18} For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears,^(W) many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.^{(X) 19} Their destiny^(Y) is destruction, their god is their stomach,^(Z) and their glory is in their shame.^(AA) Their mind is set on earthly things.^{(AB) 20} But our citizenship^(AC) is in heaven.^(AD) And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,^{(AE) 21} who, by the power^(AF) that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies^(AG) so that they will be like his glorious body.^(AH)