Study Desk

He was sick and near death. But God helped him and me too, so that I would not have even more grief.

So I want very much to send him to you. When you see him, you can be happy. And I can stop worrying about you.

He should be honored because he almost died for the work of Christ. He put his life in danger so that he could help me. This was help that you could not give me.

Even if I am able to trust in myself, still I don't do it. If anyone else thinks they have a reason to trust in themselves, they should know that I have a greater reason for doing so.

I was circumcised on the eighth day after my birth. I am from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a true Jew, and so were my parents. The law was very important to me. That is why I became a Pharisee.

I was so eager to defend my religion that I persecuted the church. And no one could find fault with the way I obeyed the Law of Moses.

Euodia and Syntyche, you both belong to the Lord, so please agree with each other.

For this I make a special request to my friend who has served with me so faithfully: Help these women. They worked hard with me in telling people the Good News, together with Clement and others who worked with me. Their names are written in the book of life.

I am so happy, and I thank the Lord that you have again shown your care for me. You continued to care about me, but there was no way for you to show it.

that God will strengthen you with his own great power, so that you will be patient and not give up when troubles come. Then you will be happy

He is the head of the body, which is the church. He is the beginning of everything else. And he is the first among all who will be raised from death. So in everything he is most important.

But now he has made you his friends again. He did this by the death Christ suffered while he was in his body. He did it so that he could present you to himself as people who are holy, blameless, and without anything that would make you guilty before him.

So we continue to tell people about Christ. We use all wisdom to counsel every person and teach every person. We are trying to bring everyone before God as people who have grown to be spiritually mature in Christ.

I tell you this so that no one can fool you by telling you ideas that seem good, but are false.

You accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, so continue to live following him.

So don't let anyone make rules for you about eating and drinking or about Jewish customs (festivals, New Moon celebrations, or Sabbath days).

Some people enjoy acting as if they are humble and love to worship angels. They always talk about the visions they have seen. Don't listen to them when they say you are wrong because you don't do these things. It is so foolish for them to feel such pride, because it is all based on their own human ideas.

They don't keep themselves under the control of the head. Christ is the head, and the whole body depends on him. Because of Christ all the parts of the body care for each other and help each other. So the body is made stronger and held together as God causes it to grow.

You died with Christ and were made free from the powers that influence this world. So why do you act as if you still belong to the world? I mean, why do you follow rules like these:

You were raised from death with Christ. So live for what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.