21 will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me 22 to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But whether to live in the flesh 23 would be to my advantage; or what to choose, I do not know: for I am

in a strait between the two, having a strong desire to depart and be with 24 Christ, which is by far the better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is 25 more needful for you. And, being firmly persuaded of this, I know that

Lshall live and abide some time with you all, for the advancement of 26 the joy of your faith; and that your boasting concerning me in Christ 27 Jesus may abound, through my coming again to you. Only behave in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; that whether I shall come and see you, or, being absent, shall hear of your affairs, that you are sted fast in one spirit, with one soul striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28 and not terrified in any thing by your adversaries: which is to them a demonstration of perdition; but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it is graciously given, on the behalf of Christ, not only to be 30 lieve on him, but also to suffer for his sake; having the very same conflict, which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

II.-Wherefore, if there be any consolation in Christ; if any comfort of love; if any fellowship of the Spirit; if any sympathies and tender mer. 2 cies, complete this my joy, that you be likeminded; having the very 3 same love, being unanimous, minding the one thing. Let nothing be

done through strife, or vainglory, but, in humbleness of mind, esteem 4 each other better than yourselves: not aiming every one at his own 5 interests, but every one also at the interests of the others. Now let this 6 disposition be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who, though he 7 was in the form of God, did not affect to appear in divine majesty; but divested himself, taking upon him the form of a servant, being made in 8 the likeness of men: and, being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. 9 And for this reason, God has exceedingly exalted him, and has bestowed 10 on him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow; of those in heaven, and upon the earth, and un11 der the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is 12 Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, since

you have always obeyed, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence; effectually work out your own salvation, with fear and 13 trembling; for it is God who works effectually in you, both to will and to 14 perform, on account of his benevolence. Do all things without mur15 murings and disputings; that you may be blameless and harmless, the children of God, unblemished, in the midst of a crooked and perverse 16 race; among whom shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, nor have labored in vain.

17

Yes, and if I be made a drink-offering upon the sacrifice and ministry 18 of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all; and for the same do you 19 also joy and rejoice with me. Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send

Timothy to you soon, that I also may be of good courage, when I know 20 your affairs. For I have no one like disposed, who will sincerely take 21 care of your affairs; for all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know the proof of him, that, as a son with a father, so he has 23 served with me in the gospel. Now, indeed, I hope to send him imme24 diately, as soon as I shall see how it will go with me. However, I am 25 fully persuaded by the Lord, that even I myself shall soon come. Yet I

thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and fellow. laborer, and fellow-soldier; but your apostle, and a minister to my want. 26 For he longed after you all, and was exceedingly grieved, because you 27 had heard that he had been sick. And, indeed, he was sick nigh to death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I 28 might not have sorrow upon sorrow. Wherefore, I have sent him the more speedily, that seeing him again, you may rejoice, and that I may

29 be the more free from sorrow. Receive him, therefore, in the Lord, 30 with all joy, and have such persons in great estimation; because for the work of Christ he drew nigh to death, not regarding his life, that be might fully supply the want of your service towards me.

III.-Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same 2 things to you, to me indeed is not irksome, and for you it is safe. Beware 3 of the snarlers, beware of evil workers, beware of the excision; for we are the circumcision, who worship God in spirit, who glory in Christ Je 4 sus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though, indeed, I have a ground of confidence in the flesh, if any other thinks he has a ground of confi5 deuce; I have more.-Circumcised the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Banjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; with respect to the 6 law, a Pharisee; with respect to zeal, persecuting the congregation; with 7 respect to a righteousness by law, I was blameless. But the things which 8 were gain to me, those I have counted loss for Christ. Yes, indeed, on this account also, I count all things loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; (for whom I have suffered the loss of all 9 things, and do account them mere refuse, that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having my righteousness by law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,-the righteourness which is from God on ac 10 count of this faith;)-that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his 11 death; if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already laid hold, or have already become perfect: but! press on, that indeed I may lay hold on that, for which also I was laid 13 hold on by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have laid bold

of the prize; but one thing I do, forgetting the things behind, and stretch14 ing forth towards the things before, I press on toward the mark, for the 15 prize of the high calling of God by Christ Jesus. Let us, then, as many

as would be perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing you think differ 16 ently, God will reveal even this to you. Moreover, let us walk in con 17 formity to what we have attained. Brethren, be imitators of me, and

consider attentively those who walk so, as you have us for an exainpie. 18 (For I have often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that many 19 walk as the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction,

whose god is their appetites, whose glory is in their shame, who mind 20 earthly things.) But we are citizens of heaven, whence also we earnestly 21 expect the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform our hum bled body into a like form with his glorious body, according to the ener gy of his power, even to subject all things to himself.

IV.-Wherefore, my brethren, beloved and much desired, my joy and 2 crown, thus stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. I beseech Euodia, and 3 I beseech Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord. Nay, I entreat you also, my faithful colleague, assist those women who have labored with me in the gospel, with Clement, and my other fellow-laborers, whose 4 names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always: I say again, 5 Rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men: the Lord is nigh. 6 Be anxious about nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication 7 with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts 8 and minds, through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are venerable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are benevolent, whatever things are of good fame; if there be any virtue, and if any praise be due, atten9 tively consider these things; those also which you have learned, and received, and heard, and seen with me, practise; and the God of peace will 10 be with you. But I rejoice greatly in the Lord, that now at length you have made your care of me to flourish again; for whom, indeed, you were 11 careful, but you had not an opportunity. Not that I complain of want; 12 for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know what

it is to be straitened; I know what it is to abound. Every where, and by all means, I am silently taught what it is to be full, and to be hungry; to 13 abound, and to suffer want. I can do all things, through him who 14 strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well in sympathizing with 15 my affliction. Moreover, you Philippians also know, that in the begin

ning of my labors in the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no congregation communicated with me, by giving and receiving, but you 16 only; that also, when in Thessalonica, you sent once; yes, twice, to re17 lieve my necessity:-not that I earnestly seek the gift; but I earnestly 18 seek the fruit, which abounds to your account. But I have received all,

and abound; I have been fully supplied, having received by Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a fragrant odor, a sacrifice accepted, well 19 pleasing to God. But my God will fully supply all your wants, according 20 to his riches in glory, through Christ Jesus. Now to God, even our Fa 21 ther, be glory forever and ever. Amen. Salute every saint in Christ Je22 sus. The brethren who are with me salute you. All the saints salute 23 you, but especially those of Cesar's household. The favor of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

The Epistle of PAUL, the Apostle, to the COLOSSIANS.

[Written from Rome, A. D. 62.]

I-PAUL, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and T.mo2 thy the brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, who are at Colosse: Favor to you, and peace from God our Father.

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ al4 ways, when we pray for you; having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, 5 and of the love which you have to all the saints;-for the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you have formerly heard in 6 the word of the truth of the gospel, which is present among you, as it is also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit and prevailing, even as among you, from the day you heard and knew the favor of God in truth; 7-even as you learned it of Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant, who 8 is for you a faithful minister of Christ, who has also declared to us your 9 love in spirit. For this reason we also, from the day we heard these things, do not cease to pray for you, and to request that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual under. 10 standing-that you may walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, bring. ing forth fruit by every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of 11 God; being strengthened with all strength, according to his glorious pow. 12 er, to all patience and long-suffering with joy: giving thanks to the Fa

ther, who has qualified us for a portion of the inheritance of the saints 13 in the light; who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has 14 translated us into the kingdom of his beloved Son: by whom we have 15 redemption, even the remission of sins. He is the image of the invisible 16 God, the first born of the whole creation. Because by him were created

all things which are in the heavens, and which are upon the earth; things visible, and things invisible; whether thrones, or lordships, or govera17 ments, or powers, all things were created by him and for him. And he 18 is before all things; and by him all things consist. And he is the head

of the body, even the congregation. He is the beginning, the first born 19 from the dead, that in all respects he might be pre-eminent. For it 20 pleased the Father, that all the fulness should dwell in him; and by him to reconcile all things to himself, having made peace by the blood of his cross, I say, by him, whether they be things on the earth, or things 21 in the heavens. Even you, who were formerly alienated in mind, and

22 enemies by wicked works, he has now, indeed, reconciled by the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable, and 23 unreprovable, in his sight; if indeed you contínue in the faith founded and stable, and not removed from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature which 24 is under heaven; of which I, Paul, am made a minister. I now rejoice in sufferings for you, and fill up the remainder of the afflictions 25 of Chris' in my flesh, for his body, which is the congregation; of which I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which was 26 given to me on your account, fully to declare the word of God,--the se cret which had been kept hid from the ages, and from the generations, 27 but now has been made manifest to his saints; to whom God has pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this secret among the 28 Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: whom we announce, admonishing every man, and teaching every man, with all wisdom, that 29 we may present every man perfect in Christ. For which I also labor, combating vigorously, according to the effectual working of him, who works effectually in me with power.

II. Wherefore, I wish you to know how great a combat I have for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face 2 in the flesh; that being compacted together in love, their hearts may be comforted, even by all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, 3 to the acknowledgment of the secret of God, in whom are laid up all the 4 treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now this I say, that no one may 5 deceive you with plausible speech. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and beholding your order, and 6 the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. Now as you have received 7 Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him; rooted and built up in him, and etablished in the faith, even as you have been taught, abounding in it with 8 thanksgiving. Beware lest any one make a prey of you through an empty and deceitful philosophy,-according to the tradition of men, ac 9 cording to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ. For 10 all the fulness of the Deity resides substantially in him. And you are 11 complete in him, who is the head of all government and power. By

whom, also, you have been circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, by the circum 12 cision of Christ; having been buried with him in immersion, by which also you have been raised with him, through the belief of the strong 13 working of God, who raised him from the dead. For you, who were dead on account of trespasses, and by the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses: 14 having blotted out the hand-writing of the ordinances concerning us, which was contrary to us, he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross:15 having spoiled governments and powers, he made a show of them openly, 16 having triumphed over them by it. Let no one, therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival, or of a new moon, or of 17 sabbaths; which are a shadow of the things which were to come, but the 18 substance is of Christ. Let no one beguile you of your reward,-delighting in humility, and the worship of messengers, intruding into things which he has not seen, being without cause puffed up by his own carnal 19 mind and not holding firmly the head, by whom the whole body, through the joints and ligaments, being served and compacted, increases with the increase of God.

Now, if you have died with Christ from the elements of the world, 21 why, as living in the world, are you subject to ordinances, after the 22 cominandments and doctrines of men; who say, Touch not, taste not, 23 handle not, (which are all to perish with the using;) which things have, indeed, a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and not sparing of the body-without any respect to the gratification of the flesh.

III.-If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things which 2 are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Set your affec3 tions on things above; not on things upon the earth. For you are dead; 4 but your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ our life shali ap5 pear, then you shall also appear with him in glory. Mortify, therefore, your members which are on the earth: fornication, impurity, passion, 6 evil desire, and licentiousness which is idolatry; for which things the 7 wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience: in which you also 8 formerly walked, when you lived with them. But now also put away all these, anger, wrath, malice, defamation, obscene discourse, from your 9 mouth. Lie not one to another, having put off the old man, with his 10 practices; and having put on the new, who is renewed by knowledge, 11 after the image of him who created him;-where there is neither Greek

nor Jew; circumcision nor uncircumcision; barbarian, Scythian; bond 12 nor free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, humbleness of 13 mind, meekness, long-suffering. Bear with one another, and forgive each other, if any one have a complaint against any one: even as Christ 14 forgave you, so also do you. And over all these put on love, which is a 15 bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts; to 16 which also you are called in one body, and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; and with all wisdom teach and admonish each other, by psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs; singing with grati17 tude in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do, in word or in

deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, even 18 the Father, through him. Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as it 19 is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against 20 them. Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well pleasing 21 to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, lest they be dis22 couraged. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the

flesh; not with eye-services, as men-pleasers, but with integrity of heart, 23 as fearing God. And whatever you do, work it from the soul, as to the 24 Lord, and not to men: knowing that from the Lord you shall receive the 25 recompense of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Chris'. But he

who does unjustly, shall receive for the injustice he has done: for there IV. is no respect of persons. Masters, afford to your servants what is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Mas er in the heavens.

2.

Continue instant in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving; at the same time also praying for us, that God would open to us a door of utterance to speak the secret of Christ, for which, indeed, I am in bonds; that 5 I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom towards 6 them who are without, gaining time. Let your speech be always with gracefulness, seasoned with salt, knowing how you ought to answer 7 every one. All things concerning me, Tychicus, a beloved brother, and faithful minister, and fellow-servant in the Lord, will make known to 8 you: whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that he may know 9 your affairs, and comfort your hearts: with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is from you. They will make known to you all 10 things which are done here. Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner, salutes you; and Mark, the nephew of Barnabas, concerning whom you got or. 11 ders: if he come to you, receive him;--and Jesus, who is called Justus; who are of the circumcision. These alone are laborers with me for the 12 kingdom of Gol, who have been a consolation to me. Epaphras, who came from you, a servant of Christ, salutes you; at all times fervently striving for you by prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in 13 the whole will of God. For 1 bear him witness, that he has much affec14 tion for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis. Luke, 15 the beloved physician, and Demas, salute you. Salute the brethren in 16 Laodices; and Nymphas, and the congregation in his house. And when this epistle has been read to you, cause that it be read also in the congre