Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified, and going in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, were multiplying.
Therefore, brothers, I exhort you through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your intelligent service.
Now I, Paul, myself appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who face to face am lowly among you, but when I am away am bold toward you.
Only conduct yourselves worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving together for the faith of the gospel,
Epaphras greets you, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, always struggling for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and complete in all the will of God.
Therefore we also pray always concerning you that our God may count you worthy of this calling, and may fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,
who having saved us, and having called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time itself,
make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing before Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
not rendering evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called for this purpose, that you may inherit a blessing.
But may the God of all grace, the One having called you into His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, may He Himself make you complete--He will establish, strengthen, and firmly ground you.