Letters to the Churches

that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God, unblemished in the midst of a generation crooked and perverse, among whom ye do appear as luminaries in the world,

the word of life holding forth, for rejoicing to me in regard to a day of Christ, that not in vain did I run, nor in vain did I labour;

but if also I am poured forth upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and joy with you all,

because of this do ye also rejoice and joy with me.

And I hope, in the Lord Jesus, Timotheus to send quickly to you, that I also may be of good spirit, having known the things concerning you,

for I have no one like-minded, who sincerely for the things concerning you will care,

for the whole seek their own things, not the things of the Christ Jesus,

and the proof of him ye know, that as a child serveth a father, with me he did serve in regard to the good news;

him, indeed, therefore, I hope to send, when I may see through the things concerning me--immediately;

and I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall quickly come.

And I thought it necessary Epaphroditus--my brother, and fellow-workman, and fellow-soldier, and your apostle and servant to my need--to send unto you,

seeing he was longing after you all, and in heaviness, because ye heard that he ailed,

for he also ailed nigh to death, but God did deal kindly with him, and not with him only, but also with me, that sorrow upon sorrow I might not have.

The more eagerly, therefore, I did send him, that having seen him again ye may rejoice, and I may be the less sorrowful;

receive him, therefore, in the Lord, with all joy, and hold such in honour,

because on account of the work of the Christ he drew near to death, having hazarded the life that he might fill up your deficiency of service unto me.

As to the rest, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord; the same things to write to you to me indeed is not tiresome, and for you is sure;

look to the dogs, look to the evil-workers, look to the concision;

for we are the circumcision, who by the Spirit are serving God, and glorying in Christ Jesus, and in flesh having no trust,

though I also have cause of trust in flesh. If any other one doth think to have trust in flesh, I more;

circumcision on the eighth day! of the race of Israel! of the tribe of Benjamin! a Hebrew of Hebrews! according to law a Pharisee!

according to zeal persecuting the assembly! according to righteousness that is in law becoming blameless!

But what things were to me gains, these I have counted, because of the Christ, loss;

yes, indeed, and I count all things to be loss, because of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, because of whom of the all things I suffered loss, and do count them to be refuse, that Christ I may gain, and be found in him,

not having my righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through faith of Christ--the righteousness that is of God by the faith,