Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
For This Reason, I Paul, a Prisoner of Christ For You Gentiles...
3 For this reason, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you the Gentiles—
For I Am a Steward of God’s Plan To Make Gentiles Partakers of His Promises
2 ... if indeed you heard-of the stewardship[a] of the grace of God having been given[b] to me for you, 3 that by way of revelation the mystery was made-known to me (just as I wrote-before in brief, 4 with reference to which you are able, while reading, to perceive my understanding in[c] the mystery of Christ) 5 which in other generations was not made-known to the sons of humans as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit— 6 that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs and fellow-body-members and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the good-news, 7 of which I was made a minister[d] in-accordance-with the gift of the grace of God having been given[e] to me by-way-of the working of His power.
It Was Granted To Me To Enlighten Everyone To See The Creator’s Long Hidden Plan
8 This grace was given to me, the less-than-least of all saints, that I might announce-as-good-news to the Gentiles the untraceable riches of Christ, 9 and enlighten everyone to see what is the stewardship[f] of the mystery having been hidden from the past ages in God, the One having created all things, 10 so that now the multifaceted wisdom of God might be made-known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places through the church, 11 in-accordance-with the purpose of the ages[g] which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in Whom we have boldness and access in confidence through faith[h] in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you not lose-heart in connection with my afflictions for-your-sake, which is your glory!
For This Reason I Pray For You To Know The Love of Christ And The Fullness of God
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from Whom the whole[i] family in the heavens and on earth is named, 16 asking that He might grant to you in accordance with the riches of His glory that you be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner person 17 so-that[j] Christ may dwell[k] in your hearts through faith, 18 in-order-that[l] you, having[m] been rooted and founded in love, might be strong-enough[n] to grasp[o] together-with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ surpassing knowledge, in-order-that[p] you might be filled to all the fullness of God.
To God Be The Glory
20 Now to the One being able to do super-abundantly beyond all of the things which we ask or think[q] according to the power being at-work[r] in us— 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations forever and ever, amen.
Therefore I Exhort You To Walk Worthily of Your Calling, Keeping The Unity of The Spirit
4 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all humblemindedness and gentleness, with patience bearing-with one another in love, 3 being diligent to keep[s] the unity of [t] the Spirit in the bond of [u] peace—
God Made Us One, And Gave Gifts And Grace To Each One of Us
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, the One over all and through all and in all; 7 and to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
For Scripture Says Jesus Ascended On High And Gave Gifts To His People
8 For this reason it says, “having ascended to on-high, He led captivity captive[v], He gave gifts to people” [Ps 68:18].
9 Now what does the “He ascended” mean except that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth[w]? 10 The One having descended is Himself also the One having ascended far above all the heavens, in order that He might fill all things.
He Gave Gifted People To Equip The Saints To Build Up The Body of Christ To Maturity
11 And He Himself gave some as apostles, and others as prophets, and others as evangelists, and others as shepherds and teachers, 12 for[x] the equipping[y] of the saints for the work of ministry[z], for the building-up of the body of Christ 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature[aa] man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, being tossed-about and carried-around by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of people, by craftiness with-regard-to[ab] the scheme of [ac] error[ad], 15 but that while speaking-the-truth in love, we may grow as to all things into Him Who is the head— Christ, 16 from Whom the whole body, being fitted-together[ae] and held-together by every joint of supply according to the working in measure of each individual part, is producing the growth of the body for the building-up of itself in love.
So Walk No Longer In The Futile Darkness of The Gentiles, As They Pursue Impurity
17 Therefore this I say and testify in the Lord, that you be walking no longer as indeed the Gentiles are walking, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, having been excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance being in them, because of the hardness of their hearts— 19 who, having become callous, gave themselves over to sensuality for the practice[af] of every impurity with greed.
Lay Aside The Old Person. Be Renewed In Your Mind And Put On The New Person
20 But you did not learn Christ in this manner, 21 if indeed you heard Him and were taught in Him, even as it is the truth in Jesus 22 that in-relation-to your former way-of-life you lay-aside the old person being corrupted[ag] in-accordance-with the desires of [ah] deception, 23 and that you be being renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put-on the new person having been created in accordance with God, in righteousness and holiness of [ai] truth.
Live Out Righteousness And Truth
25 Therefore, having laid-aside the lie[aj], each of you be speaking truth with his neighbor, because we are body-parts of one another. 26 Be angry and-yet do not be sinning. Do not let the sun go down upon your angriness[ak], 27 nor give a place[al] to the devil. 28 Let the one stealing be stealing no longer. But rather let him be laboring, working the good thing with his own hands in order that he might have something to give to the one having a need. 29 Let every bad[am] word not proceed out of your mouth, but if there is something good for edification of the need, speak in order that it may give grace to the ones hearing. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with[an] Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and clamor and blasphemy[ao] be taken-away[ap] from you, along-with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other just as God in Christ also forgave you.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing