⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Benediction, Final Exhortation, Farewell

²⁰ Now may ^(A)the God of peace ^(B)who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, ^(C)that great Shepherd of the sheep, ^(D)through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹ make you ^[a]complete in every good work to do His will, ^(E)working in ^[b]you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

^12 (A)that you would walk worthy of God ^(B)who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Their Conversion

¹³ For this reason we also thank God ^(C)without ceasing, because when you ^(D)received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it ^(E)not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively ^(F)works in you who believe.

Preeminence of Christ

^9 (A)For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask ^(B)that you may be filled with ^(C)the knowledge of His will ^(D)in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; ^10 (E)that you may walk worthy of the Lord, ^(F)fully pleasing Him, ^(G)being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the ^(H)knowledge of God; ^11 (I)strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, ^(J)for all patience and longsuffering ^(K)with joy; ^12 (L)giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of ^(M)the inheritance of the saints in the light.

⁹ And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, ¹¹ being filled with the fruits of righteousness ^(A)which are by Jesus Christ, ^(B)to the glory and praise of God.

¹⁰ Now ^[a]may He who ^(A)supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, ^[b]supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your ^(B)righteousness, ¹¹ while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, ^(C)which causes thanksgiving through us to God. ¹² For the administration of this service not only ^(D)supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, ¹³ while, through the proof of this ministry, they ^(E)glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal ^(F)sharing with them and all men, ¹⁴ and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding ^(G)grace of God in you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God ^(H)for His indescribable gift!

²⁸ Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them ^(A)this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain.

¹⁶ that ^(A)I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the ^(B)offering ^[a]of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

³¹ And when they had prayed, ^(A)the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(B)and they spoke the word of God with boldness.