I went there<n id="1" /> because of<n id="2" /> a revelation and presented<n id="3" /> to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so<n id="4" /> only in a private meeting with the influential people,<n id="5" /> to make sure that I was not running &#8211; or had not run<n id="6" /> &#8211; in vain.

Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God?<n id="1" /> Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.<n id="2" />

But what does the scripture say? &#8220;<i><b>Throw out the slave woman and her sonb>, <b>for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the sonb>i><sc>&#8221;sc><n id="1" /> of the free woman.

For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires<n id="1" /> that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to<n id="2" /> each other, so that you cannot do what you want.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Brothers and sisters,<n id="1" /> if a person<n id="2" /> is discovered in some sin,<n id="3" /> you who are spiritual<n id="4" /> restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness.<n id="5" /> Pay close attention<n id="6" /> to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.

that you were at that time without the Messiah,<n id="1" /> alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise,<n id="2" /> having no hope and without God in the world.

<t /><p class="bodytext">So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence,<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">And as you Philippians know, at the beginning of my gospel ministry, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in this matter of giving and receiving except you alone.

if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm,<n id="1" /> without shifting<n id="2" /> from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.p>

Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you<n id="1" /> through an empty, deceitful philosophy<n id="2" /> that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits<n id="3" /> of the world, and not according to Christ.

For from you the message of the Lord<n id="1" /> has echoed forth not just in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place reports of your faith in God have spread,<n id="2" /> so that we do not need to say anything.

For you recall, brothers and sisters,<n id="1" /> our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

So<n id="1" /> when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehow tempted you and our toil had proven useless.p>

For we tell you this by the word of the Lord,<n id="1" /> that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep.

not to be easily<n id="1" /> shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us,<n id="2" /> to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.

<t /><p class="bodytext">But we command you, brothers and sisters,<n id="1" /> in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined<n id="2" /> life<n id="3" /> and not according to the tradition they<n id="4" /> received from us.

But those who have believing masters must not show them less respect<n id="1" /> because they are brothers. Instead they are to serve all the more, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved.<n id="2" />p><t /><p class="bodytext">Teach them and exhort them about these things.<n id="3" />

So God<n id="1" /> again ordains a certain day, &#8220;Today,&#8221; speaking through David<n id="2" /> after so long a time, as in the words quoted before,<n id="3" /> &#8220;<i><b>Ob>, <b>that today you would listen as he speaks!b>i><n id="4" /> <b><i>Do not harden your heartsi>b>.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Therefore we must progress beyond<n id="1" /> the elementary<n id="2" /> instructions about Christ<n id="3" /> and move on<n id="4" /> to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God,

<p class="otpoetry">&#8220;<b><i>And there will be no need at alli>b><n id="1" /> <i><b>for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother sayingb>,i> &#8216;<i><b>Know the Lordb>,i>&#8217; <i><b>since they will all know meb>, <b>from the least to the greatestb>.i><n id="2" />p>