Study Desk

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you;

and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;

Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,

for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light

(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you."