Because of this, I, too, having heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and (your) love for all the holy ones do not stop giving thanks for you making mention (of you) at my prayers.
O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me. O Love, who redeemed me, fill up in me whatever part of your love has fallen into neglect within me. O Love, O God, who first loved me, grant that with my whole heart, and with my whole soul, and with my whole strength, I may love you.
also in whom we have been ”chosen as (God’s) portion’ having been ‘chosen beforehand’ according to the purpose of him who works everything according to the purpose of his will, so that we - the ‘first to hope’ in Christ – might be for the praise of his glory.
In whom you also having heard the word of truth the good news of your salvation in whom having also believed you have been marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit. who is a down payment of our inheritance until the ‘redemption of possession’ for the praise of his glory.
Teach us, good Lord, to serve thee as thou deservest; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labour and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do thy will, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
…having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he intended in him to the arrangement in the fullness of the times to sum up all things in Christ things in the heavens and things on the earth in him.
Grant, Lord, that we may hold to you without parting, worship you without wearying, serve you without failing; faithfully seek you, happily find you, and forever possess you, the only God,blessed now and for ever. Amen
… the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of trespasses according to the riches of his grace, which abounds in us in all wisdom and insight
Thank you, dear Jesus, for all you have given me, for all you have taken away from me, for all you have left me.
Blessed is the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ as he chose us in him from the creation of the world to be holy and faultless in his presence in love having chosen us beforehand for adoption through Jesus Christ for himself according to the good pleasure of his will for the praise of the glory of his grace which is freely bestowed on us in (by) his beloved…
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union, where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. For your mercy and your truth’s sake Amen.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the will of God to the saints who are in Ephesus and those who believe in Christ Jesus. Grace to you all, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
O Lord Jesus Christ, stay beside me to defend me, within me to guide me, before me to lead me, and above me to bless me, that with you and in you, I may live, and move and have my being, for ever and ever. Amen.
Therefore having enough boldness in Christ to command you to do the right thing, because of love, I would rather beseech you, – such as I am, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner for Christ Jesus- I beseech you concerning my child, whom I have begotten during (my) imprisonment: Onesimus, (Useful) who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful to you and me, whom I have sent back to you, and he is my very heart. whom I wanted to keep with me, so that he might serve me, in my imprisonment for the Gospel, in your place. For I wanted to do nothing, without your consent so that your good (deed) might not be from compulsion but from free will. For perhaps he was separated from you, for this reason, for a while – that you might have him back – for good! No longer as a slave, but more than a slave – a beloved brother, -especially to me, – and how much more to you both ‘humanly’ and in the Lord.
So if consider me as a partner welcome him as me. And if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, write (this), with my own hand: I will repay it. – not to mention to you, that you owe more – yourself – to me. Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you, in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ!
Having been convinced of your ‘compliance’, I have written to you, knowing that you will do more than I ask. One thing more, prepare the guest-room for me. For I hope that through your prayers, I will be restored to you all.
Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner, greets you. in Christ. and Mark, Aristarchus. Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with with your spirit.
God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that You will make all things right, If I surrender to Your will, So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus and Timothy, the brother to Philemon the beloved and our fellow worker and Ap’phia the sister, and Archippus, our fellow-soldier and to the church in your home
Grace to you, and peace from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God, always when I mention you in my prayers, hearing of your love… —and the faith which you have —in the Lord Jesus,- …for all the saints, that the generosity of your faith might come to be effective in the knowledge of all the good in us for Christ
For I have had great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed because of you, (my) brother.
Lord, you have given me so much, I ask for one more thing – a grateful heart.
Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner (of war) greets you all – and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you have received instructions, when he comes to you, welcome him), – and Jesus, who is called Justus, these are from the circumcision, (they are they only ones amongst my fellow-workers for the Kingdom of God,) they have been a comfort to me.
Epaphras, who is one you, greets you – a slave of Christ Jesus, – he is always struggling in prayer for you all, so that you might stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he works hard for you and those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Luke, the beloved, the doctor greets you, and Demas.
The brothers/sisters in Laodicea and Nympha and the church of her house, greet you.
And when (this) letter is read among you, make (sure) it is also read in (the church) of the Laodiceans and that you read the letter from Laodicea* too.
And say to Archippus: ‘Mark the ministry which you have received from the Lord -that you complete it.’
This greeting by my hand of Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you all.
*(i.e. the letter Paul wrote to them)
Be thou a bright flame before me, Be thou a guiding star above me Be thou a smooth path below me Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me Today – tonight -forever Amen.
Tychicus, will make known to you my circumstances: -He is, the beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow-slave in the Lord -whom I am sending to you, for this very thing: that you may know about our situation and that he might encourage your hearts, – together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you.
They will make known to you all the things (going on) here.
O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me. O Love, who redeemed me, fill up in me whatever part of your love has fallen into neglect within me. O Love, O God, who first loved me, grant that with my whole heart, and with my whole soul, and with my whole strength, I may love you.
