mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus; who, being 6 in the form of God, did not think equality with God a thing to be grasped at, but emptied himself by taking upon 7 him the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled him- 8 self, having become obedient even unto death, and that the death of the cross. Wherefore also God exalted him 9 exceedingly, and gave him the name which is above every name; that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 10 of beings in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 11 to the glory of God the Father.

So then, my beloved, even as ye were always obedient, 12 not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works effectually in you both to will 13 and to work effectually for his good pleasure. Do all things 14 without murmurings and reasonings, that ye may become 15 blameless and simple, children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye appear as luminaries in the world, holding forth 16 the word of life, for matter of glorying to me against the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Yea, and even if I am poured out as a drink- 17 offering upon the sacrifice and ministration of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all. In the same way also 18 do ye rejoice, and rejoice with me.

But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly 19 unto you, that I also may take courage when I know your state. For I have no one likeminded, who will sincerely 20 be anxious for your state; for they all seek their own 21 things, not the things of Christ Jesus. But ye know the 22 approved character of him, that, as a child serves the father, he served with me for the gospel. Him then I 23 hope to send presently, so soon as I see how it will go with me; but I am persuaded in the Lord that I myself also 24 shall come shortly.

Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphro- 25

ditus, my brother and fellow-labourer and fellow-soldier, 26 but your messenger and minister to my need, since he was longing after you all and distressed, because ye heard that 27 he was sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me 28 also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more anxiously, that when ye see him ye may rejoice again, and that I may be the less sorrowful.. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold 30 such in honour; because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, having hazarded his life, that he might fulfil what your service toward me lacked.

CH. III.

FINALLY, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, for me indeed is not irksome, but 2 for you it is safe. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil3 workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, who serve in the spirit of God, and glory in Christ 4 Jesus, and trust not in the flesh, though having myself trust in the flesh also. If any other man thinks he should 5 trust in the flesh, I more; circumcised the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of 6 Hebrews; touching law, a Pharisee; touching zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in 7 law, found blameless. What things were gain to me, these 8 I have thought loss for Christ's sake. Nay, but rather I still think all things to be loss by reason of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I suffered the loss of all things, and think them but refuse 9 that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of 10 God, on the condition of faith; that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection and fellowship of his suffer11 ings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12

Not that I did already reach it or that I am already perfected; but I pursue, if I may lay hold on the prize, inas13 much as I was also laid hold on by Christ Jesus. Brethren,

I reckon not myself to have yet laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forth unto those which are before, I pursue toward the mark 14 unto the prize of the heavenly calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us then, as many as are perfect, have this 15 mind; and if in any thing ye are otherwise minded, this also will God reveal unto you. Only walk by the same rule 16 whereto we attained.

Brethren, become imitators together of me, and look to 17 them who are walking even so as ye have us for a type. For many are walking, of whom I told you often, but now 18 tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose God is 19 the belly, and their glory is in their shame, who mind the earthly things. For the state we belong to is in the 20 heavens, whence also we wait for as a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change the fashion of our body of 21 humiliation to be conformed to his body of glory, according to the working whereby he is able to subject also all things unto him.

CH.

THEREFORE, my brethren beloved and longed for, my IV. joy and crown, so stand in the Lord, beloved.

I exhort Euodia, and exhort Syntyche, to be of the 2 same mind in the Lord. Yea, I ask thee also, true yoke- 3 fellow, help them, inasmuch as they laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also and my other fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 4 Let your forbearance be known unto all men; the Lord is 5 at hand. Be not anxious about any thing; but in every 6 thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known before God. And the peace 7 of God, which exceeds all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, what- 8 soever things are honourable, whatsoever things are righteous, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, whatever

virtue there is, and whatever praise, think on these things. 9 The things which ye both learned and received, both heard and saw in me, these do: and the God of peace will be with you.

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at length ye revived your thoughtfulness about me; wherein ye were 11 also thoughtful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want; for I learned, in the state in which I 12 am, to be content. I know both to be humbled, and I know to abound in every case and in all I have been initiated both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to be 13 in want. I have strength for all things in him who gives 14 me power. Notwithstanding ye did well in communicating 15 with my affliction. But ye also, Philippians, know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as regards giving 16 and receiving, but ye only; for also in Thessalonica ye 17 sent once and again unto my need. Not that I seek after

the gift, but I seek after the fruit that multiplies to your 18 account. But I have all things to the full, and abound; I am filled full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice 19 acceptable, well-pleasing to God. And my God will fully supply all your need according to his riches in glory in 20 Christ Jesus. Now unto our God and Father be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

21

Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren that 22 are with me salute you. All the saints salute you, but 23 chiefly they of Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

TO THE COLOSSIANS.

PAUL, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of CH. I. God, and Timothy the brother, to the saints in Colossae 2 and faithful brethren in Christ. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father.

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord 3 Jesus Christ, praying always for you; having heard 4 of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, because of the hope which 5 is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel which is 6 come unto you, even as it is also in all the world, bringing forth fruit and growing even as it does also in you, since the day ye heard and knew fully the grace of God in truth even as ye learned from Epaphras our beloved 7 fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. 8 For this cause we also, since the day we heard, do not 9 cease praying for you and asking that ye may be filled with the full knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so as to walk worthy of the Lord 10 unto all pleasing, bringing forth fruit in every good work, and growing by the full knowledge of God, being em- 11 powered with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and long-suffering; with joy giving 12 thanks unto the Father, who made you sufficient for the portion of the lot of the saints in the light; who delivered 13 us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; in whom we have the 14 redemption, the forgiveness of sins; who is an image of 15 the invisible God, firstborn of all creation; because in him 16