Study Desk

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people,

For the one who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.

praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;

For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;

and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.

Epaphras, who is one of your own, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings, always striving earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part, read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.

We always give thanks to God for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;

for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sakes.

For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place the news of your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need to say anything.

For they themselves report about us as to the kind of reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,

and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is, Jesus who rescues us from the wrath to come.

For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our reception among you was not in vain,

For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit;

For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—

But we proved to be gentle among you. As a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children,

in the same way we had a fond affection for you and were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.

For you recall, brothers and sisters, our labor and hardship: it was by working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, that we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.