For we are writing to you nothing different from what we have written before, or from what indeed you already recognize as truth and will, I trust, recognize as such to the very end;

For if I cause you grief [by a well-deserved rebuke], who then provides me enjoyment but the very one whom I have made sad?

And I wrote this very thing, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

For out of much tribulation and distress of heart I wrote to you, with many tears; not that ye may be grieved, but that ye may know the love which I have very abundantly towards you.

For this very purpose also I wrote you (before), that I might test you, to see if you were obedient in every respect.

When you forgive a man, I forgive him too. For anything I had to forgive has been forgiven on your account, and as in the very presence of Christ,

For we are not like many, [acting like merchants] peddling God’s word [shortchanging and adulterating God’s message]; but from pure [uncompromised] motives, as [commissioned and sent] from God, we speak [His message] in Christ in the sight of God.

Since we have such a [glorious] hope and confident expectation, we speak with great courage,

but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ.

But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil [of blindness] lies over their heart;

And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit. Cross references: 2 Corinthians 3:3 : Ex 24:12; 31:18; 32:15, 16; Jer 31:33 2 Corinthians 3:6 : Jer 31:31 2 Corinthians 3:7 : Ex 34:29-35 2 Corinthians 3:17 : Is 61:1, 2 end of crossrefs

I disown those practices which very shame conceals from view; I do not go about it craftily; I do not falsify the word of God; I state the truth openly and so commend myself to every man's conscience before God.

Men whose minds have been blinded by the God of this Age, unbelievers as they are, so that the light from the Good News of the glory of the Christ, who is the very incarnation of God, should not shine for them.

And therefore whilst we are in this tabernacle we groan, being very desirous to be covered with our house which is from heaven: since though unclothed of this body,

Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

So, we are also eager to please God very much, whether we are at home [in our body] or away from it.

as unknown and yet well-known, as dying and yet as you see very much alive, as punished and yet not killed,

I am not saying this to condemn you. Indeed, I have already said that you are in our very heart, to live and die together.

I have great confidence in you: very loudly do I boast of you. I am filled with comfort: my heart overflows with joy amid all our affliction.

For behold how much diligence this very [thing], being grieved according to [the will of] God, has brought about in you: what defense [of yourselves], what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! In everything you have demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

So, we have been encouraged, and in addition to [our] encouragement, we were very glad that Titus was so happy [also], because you had refreshed his spirit.

I rejoice that in everything I have [perfect] confidence in you.

who tho' labouring under great trial of affliction, and extreme poverty, have notwithstanding with exceeding cheerfulness contributed very liberally: being forward of themselves to the utmost of their power,

Yes, just as you are already very rich in faith, readiness of speech, knowledge, unwearied zeal, and in the love that is in you, implanted by us, see to it that this grace of liberal giving also flourishes in you.

For you are recognizing [more clearly] the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [His astonishing kindness, His generosity, His gracious favor], that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich (abundantly blessed).

For he accepted indeed our exhortation; but being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own accord.

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

We are not overstepping the limits of our province, as if we did not [legitimately] reach to you, for we were the [very] first to come even as far as you with the good news of Christ.

Our boasting, therefore, is not unlimited, nor does it extend to the labors of others; but our hope is that, as your faith grows, our influence among you may be very greatly increased-- though still confined to our sphere--

For I have a very great care for you: because you have been married by me to one husband, and it is my desire to give you completely holy to Christ.

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

so am I: are they ministers of Christ? is it my vanity? I am more so: in toilsome labours I surpass them, in stripes I am exceedingly beyond them, in prisons I have been oftner, and frequently in the very jaws of death.

And because the revelations were so very great, in order that I might not be overmuch lifted up, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, one sent from Satan to give me pain.

and he said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee. For my strength is made perfect through weakness." Very gladly therefore will I rejoice of my weakness, that the strength of Christ may dwell in me.

I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

I encouraged Titus to visit you, and I sent along with him the brother you know so well. Titus didn't take advantage of you, did he? We conducted ourselves with the same spirit, didn't we? We took the very same steps, didn't we?

All this time you have been thinking that we are [merely] defending ourselves to you. It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking [as one] in Christ; and everything, dearly beloved, is to strengthen you [spiritually].

But when it pleased him who set me apart from my very birth, and called me through his grace,

they only kept hearing, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the [good news of the] faith which he once was trying to destroy.”

only they would that we should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do.

For, if I rebuild the very things that I pulled down, I prove myself to have done wrong.

I do not ignore or nullify the [gracious gift of the] grace of God [His amazing, unmerited favor], for if righteousness comes through [observing] the Law, then Christ died needlessly. [His suffering and death would have had no purpose whatsoever.]”

O senseless Galatians, who has bewitched you; to whom, as before your very eyes, Jesus Christ has been portrayed, crucified among you?

But at that time, when you did not know [the true] God and were unacquainted with Him, you [Gentiles] were slaves to those [pagan] things which by [their very] nature were not and could not be gods at all.

Now, what has become of all that? (I can bear witness that you would have torn out your very eyes, if you could, and given me them.)

But I would like to be present with you and change the tone [of my remarks], because I am very distressed over your condition.

Brothers, if any one of you is overwhelmed by a [particular] sin, those of you who are spiritually minded should [attempt to] restore such a person [to faithfulness]. But do it in a gentle way, being very careful that you yourself do not become tempted [to get involved in any sin].

Those who wish to appear to advantage in regard to outward observances are the very people who are trying to compel you to be circumcised; and they do it only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Jesus, the Christ.

For these very men do not really keep the Law of Moses, but they would have you receive circumcision in order that they may glory in *your* bodies.

And it was among them that we all once lived our lives, indulging the cravings of our earthly nature, and carrying out the desires prompted by that earthly nature and by our own thoughts. Our very nature exposed us to the Divine Wrath, like the rest of mankind.

even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have been saved from God’s judgment).

To me, [though I am] the very least of all the saints (God’s people), this grace [which is undeserved] was graciously given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the incomprehensible riches of Christ [that spiritual wealth which no one can fully understand],

and to understand Christ's love, so far beyond our understanding, so that you may be filled with the very fulness of God.

He who descended is the very same as He who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things [that is, the whole universe]).

And the very same, made some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Shepherds, some Teachers:

That the very spirit of your minds must be constantly renewed;

For you know very well that no immoral or impure person, or anyone who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has an inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and of God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is on account of these very sins that God's anger is coming upon the disobedient.

Then you will demonstrate [or, "learn about"] a life that is very pleasing to the Lord.

Therefore be very careful how you live and act. Let it not be as unwise men, but as wise.

making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil.

in order to have the church as his very own, standing before him in all her glory, with never a spot or wrinkle or any such flaw, but consecrated and unblemished.

This mystery [of two becoming one] is great; but I am speaking with reference to [the relationship of] Christ and the church.

However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].

"Honor your father and mother"" (This is a very important commandment with a promise.)

praying at all seasons, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching unto this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints;

As to the state of my affairs, and health, Tychicus our dear brother, and faithful minister in the Lord, will very particularly acquaint you with them.

whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts.

for what you have contributed to the gospel from the very first day down to this moment;

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

For God beareth me record how greatly I long after you all from the very heart-root in Jesus Christ.

and very many of our brethren in the Lord, assuming confidence from my chains, are more abundantly bold, fearlessly to preach the word.

But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better:

and yet your needs make it very necessary for me to stay on here.

He existed in the form of God [i.e., He shared God's very nature], but did not consider [remaining] equal with God something [to continue] to hold onto.

And that is why God raised him to the very highest place, and gave him the Name which stands above all other names,

However, I hope by the favour of the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you very soon, that I may have some encouragement by knowing the state of your affairs:

nay, I trust in the Lord, that I myself too shall visit you very soon.

since he longed for you all, and was very troubled, because you had heard that he was sick.

And I can assure you that his illness very nearly proved fatal. But God had pity on him, and not on him only but also on me, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.

For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice when you see him again and I may be less anxious.

So give him a hearty Christian welcome, and value men like him very highly,

because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me [which distance prevented you from rendering personally].

In very truth I count all things but loss compared to the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and esteem them but refuse that I may gain Christ,

So my brothers, well loved and very dear to me, my joy and crown, be strong in the Lord, my loved ones.

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord, that now at last you have renewed your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned about me before, but you had no opportunity to show it.

But it was very kind of you to share my difficulties.

And you very well know, Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I had left Macedonia, no church but yourselves had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving.

For I have received everything, and I have plenty. I have all I need because I received from Epaphroditus what you sent -- a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, very pleasing to God.

Bearing fruit and growing, as it does, through all the world, just as it did among you, from the very day that you heard of God's loving-kindness, and understood what that loving-kindness really is.

he is the very one who told me of the love awakened in you by the Spirit.

And therefore we, from the very day that we heard this, have never ceased praying for you, or asking that you may possess that deeper knowledge of the will of God, which comes through all true spiritual wisdom and insight.

For Christ is the very incarnation of the invisible God-- First-born and Head of all creation;

For God was very pleased to have all of [His] fullness dwell in Christ [See 2:9],

Because of these [sinful] things the [divine] wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience [those who fail to listen and who routinely and obstinately disregard God’s precepts],

You children should obey your parents in everything, for this is very pleasing to the Lord.

Conduct yourself with wisdom in your interactions with outsiders (non-believers), make the most of each opportunity [treating it as something precious].

whom I have sent you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts;

have cordially reliev'd me. Epaphras a servant of Christ, and your countryman, salutes you, who is always very earnest in his prayers, that you may be perfectly acquainted with, and constantly observe,