Study Desk

For there are many who live otherwise, of whom I have often told you, and now I tell you with tears that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ;

But our labours are in heavenly things, from whence we look for our Saviour, our LORD Jesus Christ,

But I rejoiced in our LORD greatly, that you have continued to care for me, just as you have always cared, even though you yourselves have not had sufficient.

Nor am I saying this simply because I am in want; for I have learned to make what I have meet my needs.

For even at Thessalonica you sent more than once to meet my needs.

Now unto God our Father be glory and honour, for ever and ever. Amen.

Always we give thanks to God, the Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, and always we pray for you,

Since we heard of your faith in Jesus Christ, and of your love for all the saints,

For the hope which is preserved for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the true word of the gospel;

Just as you have learned it from Ep''a-phras our beloved fellow-servant, who is for your sakes a faithful minister of Christ:

And who has made known to us your love for spiritual things.

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you might be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all wisdom and in all spiritual understanding;

And he is the head of the body, the church: for he is the beginning, the firstfruits of the resurrection from the dead; that in all things he might be the first;

For it pleased God to complete all things in him;

And by his hand to reconcile everything to himself; and through his blood shed on the cross made peace both for those who dwell on earth and for those who dwell in heaven.

If you continue in your faith and your foundation is firm, and if you are not moved from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which has been preached to every creature which is under heaven and for which I, Paul, have become a minister;

And now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and make up that which is lacking of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his body''s sake, which is the church:

For which I became a minister, according to the dispensation of God which has been given to me for you, fully to preach the word of God everywhere;

I WOULD that you knew how I struggled for your sakes and for the sake of those who are at La-od-i-ce''a, and for the rest who have not seen me personally;

For though I am far away from you in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your orderliness and the sincerity of your faith in Christ.