1 Paul and Timothy,^(A) servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people^(B) in Christ Jesus at Philippi,^(C) together with the overseers^(D) and deacons^[a]:^(E)

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

Stephen Seized

⁸ Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs^(A) among the people. ⁹ Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene^(B) and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia^(C) and Asia^(D)—who began to argue with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.^(E)

¹¹ Then they secretly^(F) persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”^(G)

¹² So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.^{(H) 13} They produced false witnesses,^(I) who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place^(J) and against the law. ¹⁴ For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place^(K) and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”^(L)

¹⁵ All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin^(M) looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

⁵ “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’^{(A) 6} then his master must take him before the judges.^[a](B) He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce^(C) his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.^(D)

²² For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person;^(A) similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.^(B)

²² But now that you have been set free from sin^(A) and have become slaves of God,^(B) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.^(C)

Living to Please God

4 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,^(A) we instructed you how to live^(B) in order to please God,^(C) as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. ² For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

³ It is God’s will^(D) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;^{(E) 4} that each of you should learn to control your own body^[a](F) in a way that is holy and honorable, ⁵ not in passionate lust^(G) like the pagans,^(H) who do not know God;^{(I) 6} and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.^[b](J) The Lord will punish^(K) all those who commit such sins,^(L) as we told you and warned you before. ⁷ For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.^{(M) 8} Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.^(N)

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,^(A) the new creation^(B) has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!^(C)

¹⁵ See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God^(A) and that no bitter root^(B) grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

⁴ You who are trying to be justified by the law^(A) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.^(B)