in which ye once walked according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience:

among which we also had our conversation in time past, in the lusts of our flesh, and fulfilled the will of the flesh, and of the mind: and were naturally the children of wrath, even as well as others.

and God, being rich in kindness, because of His great love with which He loved us,

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).

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

At that time you were living apart from Christ, estranged from the Commonwealth of Israel, with no share by birth in the Covenants which are based on the Promises, and you had no hope and no God, in all the world.

But now in Christ Jesus, ye which a while ago were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, which hath made of both one, and hath broken down the wall in the midst, that was a stop between us,

by abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the hostility caused by the Law with its commandments contained in ordinances [which He satisfied]; so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thereby establishing peace.

and reconciling both groups to God in one body through the cross, on which he eliminated the hostility.

And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

You are a building which has been reared on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, the cornerstone being Christ Jesus Himself,

by which all the building being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

in which you also are built up together for a spiritual habitation of God.

For this cause, I Paul the servant of Jesus Christ am in bonds for your sakes, which are heathen -

If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

that by immediate revelation He made known to me the mystery, (as I wrote before in brief, by which,

by which, in reading it, ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery of the Christ,)

Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

I mean the truth that the Gentiles are joint heirs with us Jews, and that they form one body with us, and have the same interest as we have in the promise which has been made good in Christ Jesus through the Good News,

whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.

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 make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

by whom we are bold to draw nigh in that trust, which we have by faith on him.

Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

For this reason [grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ] I bow my knees [in reverence] before the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ],

which is father over all that is called father in heaven and in earth, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory,

ye may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge,

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

But to him that is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think, according to the power which works in us,

Call upon you, then, do I -- the prisoner of the Lord -- to walk worthily of the calling with which ye were called,

one God and father of all, which is above all, through all, and in you all.

But to each one of us was given the grace [which he hath] according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

For which reason, the scripture says: When he ascended on high, he led captive a multitude of captives, and gave gifts to men.

But what is that which ascended, except that which descended into the lower parts of the earth?

until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity].

in order that we may be no longer babes, tossed and carried about by every wind of that teaching which is in the sleight of men, in unprincipled cunning with a view to systematized error;

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

This I say, then, and give witness in the Lord, that you are to go no longer in the way of the Gentiles whose minds are turned to that which has no profit,

being darkened in understanding, estranged from the life of God by reason of the ignorance which is in them, by reason of the hardness of their hearts,

Which, being past repentance, have given themselves unto wantonness, to work all manner of uncleanness even with greediness.

But these are not the lessons which you have learned from Christ;

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

For which reason, putting away lying, speak, every one, truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which ye have been sealed for the day of redemption.

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, either unclean person, or covetous person, which is the worshipper of images, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God.

(Because the fruit of the light is in all righteousness and in everything which is good and true),

Accept that which is pleasing to the Lord,

And have no company with the works of the dark, which give no fruit, but make their true quality clear;

For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

But all things having their true character exposed by the light are made manifest; for that which makes everything manifest is light.

So, it says, "You who are asleep, wake up and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you [i.e., illuminate you]." [Note: The foregoing words may have been an early saying, used at someone's immersion, which included the ideas of "rising up" (See Col. 2:12) and "illumination" (See Heb. 6:4)].

And be not drunk with wine, in which is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is himself the Savior.

so that He could dedicate her [to Himself], after cleansing her by means of the washing of water [i.e., immersion], accompanied by the word. [Note: "The word" here refers either to a person's profession of faith (See Rom. 10:9) or to the Gospel message (See Rom. 10:17), both of which are associated with immersion].

of which we are the several parts constituting his body.

Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

which is the first command with a promise, 'That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live a long time upon the land.'

In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might.

Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil.

For our struggle is not [actually] against human beings, but against rulers and authorities and leaders of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [Note: "Heavenly realms" here refers to the struggle against Satanic powers which permeates life around us].

besides all these, having taken the shield of faith with which ye will be able to quench all the inflamed darts of the wicked one.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

which is the word of God, Praying alway by the Spirit with all prayer and supplication, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

and for me, that utterance may be given me to open my mouth boldly, and to make known the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador,

For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

In order, however, that, ye also, may know the things which relate to me - what I am accomplishing, - all things, shall Tychicus make known unto you, he the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord,

Grace be with all them which love our Lord Jesus Christ in pureness. Amen. {Sent from Rome unto the Ephesians by Tychicus.}

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

because of the fellowship which ye have in the gospel, from the first day unto now;

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:

in order that you may distinguish those things which differ; that you may be pure and without offence in the day of Christ;

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

so that my bonds which are for Christ have become known to be such in all the palace, and in all other places;

Some there are which preach Christ of envy and strife, and some of goodwill.

is it not however some advantage? since in either way, whether it be occasionally, or professedly, Christ is preach'd; which is now, and always will be matter of joy to me.

for I know that this shall turn to my deliverance, thro' your prayers, by the spirit, which Jesus Christ will supply me with,

But if [it is] to live in the flesh, this [is] fruitful work for me, and which I will prefer [I do] not know.

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

which consideration persuades me that I shall abide, and even continue some time with you all, to improve your advancement in the faith, and to promote your joy:

which will result in your joy; so that, through union with Christ Jesus, you may have more than sufficient ground for boasting about me, through my being with you again.

Only, in a manner worthy of the glad-message of the Christ, be using your citizenship; in order that - whether coming and seeing you, or being absent, I may hear of the things which concern you - that ye are standing fast in one spirit, with one soul, joining for the combat along with the faith of the glad-message;

And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it];

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world

holding out and offering to everyone the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to rejoice greatly because I did not run [my race] in vain nor labor without result.

But even if I am poured out like a drink offering [See Ex. 29:38-41] on the sacrifice and service produced by your faith, I am glad and will rejoice with all of you. [Note: Paul here likens the possible pouring out of his blood to the wine and oil of the Old Testament sacrifice, which is then likened to the Philippians' faithful service to God].

For I have no man that is so like minded to me, which with so pure affection careth for your matters.