Study Desk

because he was longing for all of you and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.

because on account of the work of Christ he came near to the point of death, risking his life in order that he might make up for your inability to serve me.

But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ.

More than that, I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them dung, in order that I may gain Christ

because even in Thessalonica on more than one occasion you sent for my need.

But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am well supplied because I received from Epaphroditus what you had sent, a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

because of the hope reserved for you in heaven, which you have heard about beforehand in the word of truth, the gospel,

Because of this also we, from the day we heard about it, did not cease praying for you, and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual insight,

because all things in the heavens and on the earth were created by him, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers, all things were created through him and for him,

because he was well pleased for all the fullness to dwell in him,

And although you were formerly alienated and enemies in attitude, because of your evil deeds,

because in him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily,

because of which the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,

Do not lie to one another, because you have taken off the old man together with his deeds,

because you know that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.

because we remember your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,

because our gospel did not come to you with word only, but also with power and with the Holy Spirit and with much certainty, just as you know what sort of people we became among you for your sake.

Longing for you in this way, we determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own souls, because you had become dear to us.

And because of this we also give thanks to God constantly, that when you received God's word that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.

For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same things at the hands of your own people, just as they themselves did also at the hands of the Jews,