You have come to the joyful gathering of God's first-born, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, who is the judge of all people, and to the spirits of good people made perfect.

"The LORD is your mighty defender, perfect and just in all his ways; Your God is faithful and true; he does what is right and fair.

You will do everything you have promised; LORD, your love is eternal. Complete the work that you have begun.

I in them and you in me, so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me.

I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves,

so that you, together with all God's people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ's love.

For this reason we have always prayed for you, ever since we heard about you. We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will, with all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives.

May you be made strong with all the strength which comes from his glorious power, so that you may be able to endure everything with patience. And with joy give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for his people in the kingdom of light.

Greetings from Epaphras, another member of your group and a servant of Christ Jesus. He always prays fervently for you, asking God to make you stand firm, as mature and fully convinced Christians, in complete obedience to God's will.

In this way he will strengthen you, and you will be perfect and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all who belong to him.

May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way and keep your whole being---spirit, soul, and body---free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

encourage you and strengthen you to always do and say what is good.

But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation.

And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause.

God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.

Your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and praise of God.

encourage you and strengthen you to always do and say what is good.

and have a reputation for good deeds: a woman who brought up her children well, received strangers in her home, performed humble duties for other Christians, helped people in trouble, and devoted herself to doing good.

You need to be patient, in order to do the will of God and receive what he promises.

"Not everyone who calls me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants them to do.

Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother, my sister, and my mother."

Which one of the two did what his father wanted?" "The older one," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "I tell you: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you.

Whoever is willing to do what God wants will know whether what I teach comes from God or whether I speak on my own authority.

Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God---what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.

God wants you to be holy and completely free from sexual immorality.

From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God's will and not by human desires.

The world and everything in it that people desire is passing away; but those who do the will of God live forever.

because God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose.

Do not forget to do good and to help one another, because these are the sacrifices that please God.

So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.

For God's Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of the righteousness, peace, and joy which the Holy Spirit gives.

And when you serve Christ in this way, you please God and are approved by others.

Here, then, is my receipt for everything you have given me---and it has been more than enough! I have all I need now that Epaphroditus has brought me all your gifts. They are like a sweet-smelling offering to God, a sacrifice which is acceptable and pleasing to him.

Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents always, for that is what pleases God.

We receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

"When that day comes, you will not ask me for anything. I am telling you the truth: the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name.

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your happiness may be complete.

It is through Christ that all of us, Jews and Gentiles, are able to come in the one Spirit into the presence of the Father.

Your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and praise of God.

I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.

Everything you do or say, then, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks through him to God the Father.

Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ.

Praise the LORD, the God of Israel! He alone does these wonderful things.

Praise his glorious name forever! May his glory fill the whole world. Amen! Amen!

To the only God, who alone is all-wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever! Amen.

To God be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

To the eternal King, immortal and invisible, the only God---to him be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.

He alone is immortal; he lives in the light that no one can approach. No one has ever seen him; no one can ever see him. To him be honor and eternal power! Amen.

And the Lord will rescue me from all evil and take me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

To him be the power forever! Amen.

But continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, now and forever! Amen.

to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority, from all ages past, and now, and forever and ever! Amen.

Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. Surrounding the throne on each of its sides, were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and behind.

They sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to break open its seals. For you were killed, and by your sacrificial death you bought for God people from every tribe, language, nation, and race.

And I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, in the world below, and in the sea---all living beings in the universe---and they were singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be praise and honor, glory and might, forever and ever!"

Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One.'

and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."