Study Desk

So don't be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.

in order to present the Messianic Community to himself as a bride to be proud of, without a spot, wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without defect.

Don't obey just to win their favor, serving only when they are watching you; but serve as slaves of the Messiah, doing what God wants with all your heart.

Work willingly as slaves, as people do who are serving not merely human beings but the Lord.

For we are not struggling against human beings, but against the rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.

True, some are proclaiming the Messiah out of jealousy and rivalry, but others are doing it in goodwill.

But so what? All that matters is that in every way, whether honestly or in pretense, the Messiah is being proclaimed; and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

It all accords with my earnest expectation and hope that I will have nothing to be ashamed of; but rather, now, as always, the Messiah will be honored by my body, whether it is alive or dead.

But if by living on in the body I can do fruitful work, then I don't know which to choose.

but because of you, the greater need is to stay on in the body.

because for the Messiah's sake it has been granted to you not only to trust in him but also to suffer on his behalf,

Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as better than yourselves —

But I hope in the Lord Yeshua to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I too may be cheered by knowing how you are doing.

But you know his character, that like a child with his father he slaved with me to advance the Good News.

Indeed he was ill, close to death; but God had mercy on him — and not only on him, but also on me — otherwise I would have had sorrow piled on sorrow.

But the things that used to be advantages for me, I have, because of the Messiah, come to consider a disadvantage.

Not only that, but I consider everything a disadvantage in comparison with the supreme value of knowing the Messiah Yeshua as my Lord. It was because of him that I gave up everything and regard it all as garbage, in order to gain the Messiah

and be found in union with him, not having any righteousness of my own based on legalism, but having that righteousness which comes through the Messiah's faithfulness, the righteousness from God based on trust.

Brothers, I, for my part, do not think of myself as having yet gotten hold of it; but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind me and straining forward toward what lies ahead,

But we are citizens of heaven, and it is from there that we expect a Deliverer, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.