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28 you, the hope of glory: whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, 29 that we may present every man perfect in Christ; whereunto I labour also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

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For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as 2 have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ, 3 in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge 4 hidden. This I say, that no one may delude you with 5 persuasiveness of speech. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

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As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so 7 walk in him, rooted and builded up in him, and stablished in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

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Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the 9 world, and not after Christ: for in him dwelleth all the 10 fulness of the Godhead bodily, and in him ye are made 11 full, who is the head of all principality and power: in

whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the 12 flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised 13 him from the dead. And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he quicken together with him, having for14 given us all our trespasses; having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, 15 nailing it to the cross; having put off from himself the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

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Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath 17 day; which are a shadow of the things to come; but the 18 body is Christ's. Let no man rob you of your prize by

a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen, vainly puffed

19 up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.

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If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye sub 21 ject yourselves to ordinances, Handle not, nor taste, 22 nor touch (all which things are to perish with the 23 using), after the precepts and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh. 3 If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the 2 right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that

are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. 3 For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.

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Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and 6 covetousness, the which is idolatry; for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of 7 disobedience; in the which ye also walked aforetime, 8 when ye lived in these things. But now put ye also away all these; anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful 9 speaking out of your mouth: lie not one to another; see: ing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, 10 and have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 where thero cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman: but Christ is all, and in all.

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Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, 13 longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; 14 even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye; and above

all these things put on love, which is the bond of per15 fectness. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; 16 and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 17 singing with grace in your hearts unto God. And what-i soever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

18 Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting 19 in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not 20 bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in 21 all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. Fathers,

provoke not your children, that they be not discour22 aged. Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the 23 Lord: whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the 24 Lord, and not unto men; knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye 25 serve the Lord Christ. For he that doeth wrong shall receive again for the wrong that he hath done: and there 4 is no respect of persons. Masters, render unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. i

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Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with 3 thanksgiving; withal praying for us also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mystery 4 of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; that I may 5 make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each

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7 All my affairs shall Tychicus make known unto you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow8 servant in the Lord: whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our estate, and that 9 he may comfort your hearts; together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things that are done here.

Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (touching whom ye received commandments; if he come unto you, receive 11 him), and Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, men that have been a comfort unto 12 me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always, striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in 13 all the will of God. For I bear him witness, that he

hath much labour for you, and for them in Laodicea, 14 and for them in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physi 15 cian, and Demas salute you. Salute the brethren that are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is

16 in their house. And when this epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye also read the epistle from 17 Laodicea. And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

18 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you.

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THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO. THE

THESSALONIANS.

PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making 3 mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God 4 and Father; knowing, brethren beloved of God, your 5 election, how that our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; even as ye know what manner of men we shewed ourselves toward you for your sake. 6 And ye became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the 7 Holy Ghost; so that ye became an ensample to all that 8 believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith to God-ward is gone forth; so that we need not to speak 9 any thing. For they themselves report concerning us what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which de livereth us from the wrath to come.

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2 For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto 2 you, that it hath not been found vain: but having suffered before, and been shamefully entreated, as ye

know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak 3 unto you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in 4 guile: but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing 5 men, but God which proveth our hearts. For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness, God is witness; 6 nor seeking glory of men, neither from you, nor from others, when we might have been burdensome, as apos7 tles of Christ. But we were gentle in the midst of you, 8 as when a nurse cherisheth her own children: even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become very 9 dear to us. For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of 10 God. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and

righteously and unblameably we behaved ourselves 11 toward you that believe: as ye know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, ex12 horting you, and encouraging you, and testifying, to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory.

13 And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, 14 which also worketh in you that believe. For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judæa in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the 15 Jews; who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets,

and drave out us, and please not God, and are contrary 16 to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins alway: but the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

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But we, brethren, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more 18 exceedingly to see your face with great desire: because we would fain have come unto you, I Paul once and 19 again; and Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before 20 our Lord Jesus at his coming? For ye are our glory and our joy.

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Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we

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