Galatians 6:1-18
Galatians 6:1:
6:1Brothers, also if-ever a man may be
taken-beforehand in some falling-aside, you, the
spiritual-people, must fully-equip the person-of-this-kind in
(the) spirit of meekness – scoping
yourself (that) also you may not be tempted!
Brothers – again as Paul continues teaching in this letter, he addresses
the Galatian holy-people (sanctified-people,
Christians, saints, children of God) as "brothers" reminding them that
they, including Paul, were all brothers because they all had received
the same gift of holy-spirit from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ
when they first believed what God says regarding Himself and His son,
the Lord Jesus Christ (refer to Romans 10:8-10).
Brothers, if it should ever happen that a man, who is a holy-person,
would be taken-beforehand in some falling-aside (taken by something
before or in-advance-of another, caused to receive what is given to him
that is within some falling-aside from the truth of God's Word (from
what is right), sooner-than another holy-person), then you spiritual
people (you who are being receptive to and walking in accordance with
your holy spirit-life) must presently and actively fully-equip the
person of this sort (put such a holy-person down in a fitting, straight,
right order, frame the pieces together, fit-out restoring him to the
proper condition of walking-in-line-with holy spirit), and you do this
within the sphere of action of the spirit characterized-by, energizing
and manifesting meekness (that tender-receptiveness or receptivity
towards God and the things of God).
You must fully-equip the person-of-this-kind in the spirit of meekness –
and while any one of you is doing this, you must be
scoping yourself (looking intensely at as a target so as to
determine your own action carefully) for the purpose that also you would
not be tempted (made trial-of or tried in the bad sense of being put to
the test with ill-intent being enticed to also do wrong and fall-aside
from the truth of God's Word during that specific situation)!
The only true God does not tempt anyone to go against His Word. It is the
devil (satan) who tempts with evil. Of course
none of us can force another person to accept and believe God's Word
because it is up to his/her own freedom of will, but you must do your
part during this situation according to what God says, whatever the
reaction may be from the person who has already fallen-aside.
[Reference: I Corinthians 4:21, 7:5; II
Corinthians 13:11; James 1:13, 14.]
Verses 2-6:
.2You must lift-up the pressured-weights of
one-another and thus you will fill-up the law of Christ; .3for
if someone considers to be something, being nothing, he
mind-deceives himself, .4but he must prove the work of
himself and then he will have the boast into himself only and not
into the different-person .5for each-person must lift-up
(his) own specific-load; .6but the (person)
being resounded (with) the word must share-in-common with the
(person) resounding-towards (him) in all good-things.
You holy-people must lift-up (bear, support, carry)
one-another's pressured-weights (the emphasis being on the pressure and
not on a physical heaviness of a load or burden to be carried which is
placed or laid on you) during the everyday living of life, and in this
manner you will fill-up (as filling-up a chasm or container to the brim
with something - fill-up) the law of, pertaining-to and belonging-to
Christ in the walk/behavior category. Whose law? Christ's law, which is
the law that God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ has set-up,
divided-out and administers to be customarily and rightly used among
holy-people, all of us Christians, because we have the spirit of Christ
within us and so we ought to behave in accordance with what God says
which is what Christ says which is what our holy spirit-life
communicates to us.
Paul is not saying that everybody must tell everybody everything and so
everybody knows everybody else's business and interfering in one
another's affairs! No, Paul is not saying that. We are to help
one-another by lifting-up those heavy weights that are causing
tremendous pressure on a particular Christian or group of Christians but
which can be relieved with our help, and of course the only true help is
to help God's way and thus we will fill-up the law of Christ.
Paul continues: in truth if someone considers (supposes) that he himself
is something important or perhaps too important to obey Christ's law in
this regard thinking that he knows a "better way" to resolve this issue,
even though there is no foundation to his egotistical "superiority
complex," he is actually deluding (beguiling) his own mind. But instead
of behaving in such a manner, this person must prove (put to the test or
examine so as to approve or disapprove) his own work, not anybody else's
work, whether it is in accordance with the law of Christ or not, and it
will be at that time, knowing that his work is approved, that he will
have the boast (hold the subject-matter or theme of boasting, of
speaking justifiably loudly) into or regarding himself alone, and not
regarding the work of some different person! In truth each one of you
must lift-up your own specific-load (the small amount of cargo as the
lading of a ship that must be borne for a specific journey or length of
time until that issue is resolved).
Every holy-person is responsible for lifting-up his own specific-load
because there are times when individual holy-people have a particular
load which only he himself must bear until the time when he is relieved
of it with the help of God and/or the Lord Jesus Christ. These are those
"loads" which are private and are nobody else's business, and the person
involved prays to God for help and follows God's instructions in that
situation instead of involving the whole community! It may not always be
an "easy road ahead" for everybody, but each one of us must lift-up his
own specific-load at times, and continue to perform his responsibility
within the one spiritual body of Christ.
But the person who is being resounded (being orally taught, sounded into
the ears, informed by word of mouth) with the word (the spoken-account
of the inner thoughts of God regarding Himself and His son, the Lord
Jesus Christ, and all the things of God) must share-in-common with the
person who is presently and actively resounding the Word of God towards
him in all things that are good (give a portion of what he already has,
which includes his material things, and so both parties partake or share
of the same things that are good, which would be according as God
instructs him to help his teacher and to give him support as he
continues to orally-teach other people God's Word too).
[Reference: Romans 8:1-4, 12:13, 15:25-28; I
Corinthians 9:14, 21, 14:16; I Thessalonians 2:4; Titus 1:10.]
Verses 7 and 8:
.7You must not be caused-to-wander, God is not
mocked, for that-which if-ever a man may sow this he will also
harvest .8because the (person) sowing into the
flesh of himself out-from the flesh he will harvest corruption but
the (person) sowing into the spirit out-from the spirit he
will harvest eternal life.
You holy-people must not be caused-to-wander (do not allow yourselves to
err, to not-stay in your rightful place, do not be led-astray from the
truth of God's Word, like a planet is constantly moving around when
viewed from the earth unlike the stars which retain their position
relative-to each other, you must retain your fellowship position with
God your Father by behaving according to what God says). Why? God is not
mocked (derided). Even if you were to wander away-from what God says,
from the truth of the good-message, from the covenant of spirit – God
does not change His position relative-to what He says and does. God does
not mock Himself, He is not turning up His nose at what He has said, He
does not deride Himself because God continues to say and do what He
says, and no-one can truthfully mock Him for wandering from His Word.
God does not change His position relative-to His Word.
In truth, if it should happen that a man would sow something as seed, the
result of this sowing will be that when harvest-time arrives it will be
this thing that he will also harvest (reap). Why? Because:
- the person who is presently and actively sowing into his own flesh
(directing the seed he sows for his flesh, which includes its desires
and purposes), it will be that out-from the flesh he will harvest
corruption (decay, the state of being corrupt) when harvest-time
arrives, but
- the person who is presently and actively sowing into the spirit
(directing the seed he sows for the spirit, which includes the desires
and purposes of the holy spirit-life within him), it will be that
out-from the spirit he will harvest eternal life (everlasting,
agelong holy spirit-life) when harvest-time
arrives, that spiritual life that will remain for the duration of God's
spiritual life which is everlasting!
The Greek word
aionios may be
translated “eternal” or “agelong”.
In the context here, the life being referred to will
not end. It is eternal, agelong,
lifelong, everlasting. It lasts throughout all durations of life, all
ages from the time a person receives it. This life can only be received
by God's giving of holy spirit by means of
the Lord Jesus Christ. All holy-people (Christians) have received holy
spirit-life within us, which is the spirit of Christ in us; it is the
deposit, token, earnest of what we will receive at a future time. This
holy spirit-life will remain for the duration of God's life which will
not end. The full completeness for us will come to pass
when our Lord Jesus Christ will come to gather all holy-people together
with him giving us new spiritual bodies, the life of which will be holy
spirit-life like the body he has already received from God, his Father
and our Father, when God raised him up alive from-among the dead-people.
Flesh is not able to inherit the kingdom of God, neither does corruption
inherit incorruption (I Corinthians 15:50). The person doing the work of
sowing into the flesh of himself, will
out-from the flesh reap its harvest which is corruption at harvest-time.
The person doing the work of sowing into the spirit will out-from the
spirit reap its harvest which is eternal life at harvest
time.
All people who refuse what God says and thus refuse to receive the gift
of holy spirit now are spiritually dead and
thus any works done will be burned-up at harvest-time. All of us
holy-people have holy spirit-life within us, which is the spirit of
Christ. We are spiritually alive now, and in the future we will receive
our spiritual bodies like the Lord Jesus Christ has already received
from God. At that time Christ will give each of us the appropriate
rewards, assignments, etc, at his judgment seat and we will remain with
him from that time forward. Any works we do into the spirit will
remain, they will not be burned-up.
[Reference: Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25, 27, 28;
John 3:6; Romans 8:1-25; I Corinthians 3:10-17, 15:33-57; II Corinthians
5:10; Colossians 2:20-22.]
Verses 9 and 10:
.9But doing the beautiful-thing let us not
despond for we will harvest at (its) own time not being
loosened-out-from (it), .10therefore consequently
as we have time let us work the good-thing towards all-people but
especially towards the household-people of the belief.
While we holy-people are doing (performing) the beautiful-thing
(that-which has a manifested decorous, harmonious and acceptable
goodness) during the everyday living of our lives, we ought not to
despond (not to lose-courage, become faint-hearted, give-up as a coward
would give-up when faced with trial, badness or evil).
The only true beauty emanates from God and our Lord Jesus Christ and
those who walk in harmony with them obeying and doing God's will. Why
are we urged not to be despondent while we are doing the
beautiful-thing? In truth we will harvest (reap) when the harvest-time
arrives, that specific time-period (the harvest's own opportune occasion
or season), as we continue not being loosened out-from it (not being
caused by ourselves or others to be released, untied or unbound out from
where we are supposed to be which is doing God's will and then receiving
the resulting harvest of our sowing at the right time, not becoming
exhausted and willfully relaxing, unbinding and pulling-out from doing
the beautiful-thing and so not receiving what has been made available
for us to receive).
The ultimate harvest for all Christians will be received at the time when
Christ will come to be present gathering all of us holy-people together
with him and he will give each of us the appropriate rewards,
assignments, etc, at his judgment seat and we will remain with him from
that time forward. We will receive everything that God promised Abraham
and his seed. God continues to say and do what He says. God does not
change His position relative-to His Word.
Logically following on in correspondence to that, as we have specific
time (hold an occasion or season), we ought to work the good-thing (it
requires energy being expended to work that-which issues from God during
the everyday living of our lives) towards/with all people – but
most-of-all towards/with the household-people of the belief (referring
to all holy-people who are presently, and will continue to be, members
of the household pertaining-to the belief which is what God has given to
believe which is His belief regarding Himself and His son, the Lord
Jesus Christ). We belong to God's household because we are His family,
dwelling within his house, building, dwelling, having already believed
His belief and having received holy spirit.
[Reference: Proverbs 3:27; Matthew 9:36, 15:32; Mark 8:3; Luke 18:1;
Romans 4:19-22; I Corinthians 3:9-23; II Corinthians 4:16-18, 5:10,
chapter 9; Galatians 3:22-29; Ephesians 2:10, 19-22, 5:16; I
Thessalonians 5:15; II Thessalonians 3:13; I Timothy 5:8; Hebrews
12:3-5.]
Verse 11:
.11You must see (that) with how-great
writings I wrote to you with my hand.
You must see (perceive, know) that I wrote to you with extraordinarily
great writings with my hand (refer to what a great degree of written
letters, how large with importance, how great the things that I have
written are, the magnitude of the written contents of this epistle that
I wrote by my own hand, not anyone else's)!
Paul marks specifically in this letter that it is his own hand-writing
showing definitely that this is his greeting with his (the word "my" is
emphasized) hand, thus authenticating that this is a letter from Paul,
the apostle, and not from somebody else who may have wanted to deceive
the Galatian church. Even though the bulk of
some of Paul's letters may have physically been written by his
assistant, the words which were written are words which Paul spoke
receiving them by revelation from God and/or by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's own hand-written indication at the end of the letter was his
safeguard against the Galatian church being
misled by a counterfeit letter.
Paul wanted them to recognize that what he had written in this letter was
not based-on his own intellectual and mental abilities, but they were
words which he received by revelation and so they were supernaturally
great for they were received via the holy spirit-life within him. The
Galatian holy-people were to pay attention
to what he had written, and not pay any attention to any other seemingly
great writings which they may receive in the form of letters or
otherwise, even if the written characters were physically big or small
but the written contents teaching the opposite to what God says. Some
scholars suggest that here in verse 11 Paul took the pen from his
assistant (amanuensis, secretary) and actually wrote the rest of this
letter, and that it was written with larger letters.
[Reference: Romans 16:22; I Corinthians 16:21; Colossians 4:18; II
Thessalonians 3:17; Philemon 19.]
Verses 12 and 13:
.12As-many-as intend to be well-faced in flesh,
these-people constrain you to be circumcised, only in order that
they are not persecuted for the cross of Christ Jesus!, .13for
not-even the (people) having been circumcised2
themselves keep-watch (regarding) law but they intend
you to be circumcised in order that they may boast in your
flesh!
The amount of people who intend (who will, their own active volition and
desire) to put on a good face (make a good outward appearance, a good
impression, make a show that looks well in front of other people) within
the sphere of action of flesh (excluding holy spirit), these people
constrain (compel, cause to necessitate by persuasion or force) you
holy-people to be circumcised (cut-around in the flesh removing your
foreskins as though you were still under the law). Why? Only for the
purpose and resulting fact that they are not presently being persecuted
(pursued after with hostility, caused to flee as though they were
enemies) for the cross of Christ Jesus by others who are "pro-flesh" and
not wanting to hear and believe and obey what God says regarding all
that Jesus who is the Christ accomplished by/with his crucifixion.
If these circumcision people were to show their allegiance to the cross
of Christ, then they would have to speak openly about all that was
accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ's death, burial, resurrection,
ascension into heaven, being made to sit at the right-hand side of God
by God, the shedding forth of the gift of holy spirit, and therefore the
institution of the covenant of spirit! This they did not want to do
because they were of a Judean background and wanted Christians to adhere
to the external rites and practices and traditions which the religious
hierarchy had made as "our own way of worshipping"! Of course, this was
and still is contrary to what God has given to be believed by mankind
since holy spirit-life was first made available on the day of Pentecost
about 1,970 years ago (Acts chapter 2).
In truth, not even the people who have already been circumcised and of
course remain that way physically but also in light of their
walk/behavior during the living of their everyday lives, they are not
vigilant to guard the law of Moses, but on the contrary, they
intend/will you to be circumcised for the purpose and result that they
would boast (speak loudly justifiably from their fleshly viewpoint) in
your flesh (emphatically yours, because they know that you claim to be
holy-people/Christians and so they could tell everybody that you too
circumcise yourselves which makes all your talk about the cross of
Christ Jesus void of meaning!).
You may be interested to know that when we read the word translated
"cross" it means a "stake" and so we ought to realize that Jesus Christ
was crucified on a stake, as the trunk of a tree or single log of wood
stuck upright into a hole in the ground. Thus his hands would not have
been out to either side nailed on another piece of wood, but they were
stretched above his head and nailed in that position which made it much
more difficult for him to breath, etc. "The cross" here refers to
everything involved in the complete sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ
on that cross. God had provided this sacrifice for mankind but it was
Jesus Christ's own freedom of will to do God's will and offer the
sacrifice of himself to God. The "cross of Christ Jesus" includes his
death and his burial and also his resurrection from the dead which
proved God's having accepted his sacrifice, and his ascension into
heaven, plus his being seated at this present time at the right-side of
God in the heavens having shed forth holy spirit-life making it
available to mankind.
Verses 14-16:
.14But may it not become with me to boast
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by means of whom
(the) world was crucified2 to me and I to
(the) world, .15for neither is circumcision something
nor uncircumcision but (the)
new creation (is something!), .16and as-many-as
may walk-in-line-with this measuring-rod, peace on them and mercy,
even on the Israel of God.
May it not come-to-pass (happen) with me that I would boast (speak
justifiably loudly) in anything else except (unless, nothing other-than)
to boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The thought of such a
thing being so repulsive to Paul is conveyed in his expression of may it
not become or come into being that such a thing could happen!
"Our Lord Jesus Christ" – the Lord Jesus Christ is Lord/Master of all
holy-people, not only Paul or those with him, not only the
Galatian holy-people. The Lord Jesus Christ
is Lord of all those who have received the gift of
holy spirit – whether we are circumcised or not circumcised in
our flesh.
It is by means of (through) our Lord Jesus Christ that the world (the
ordered-arrangement in its present form including those who live in it
who reject God and the Lord Jesus Christ) was crucified and is still
crucified to me, and it is by means of our Lord Jesus Christ that
emphatically I was crucified and am still crucified to this world. This
is true of all holy-people because of having received the spirit of
Christ in us, whether of the Judean/Israeli background or the
Gentile/other-nation background (Colossians 1:27).
Spiritually, there is no connection between holy-people and the present
world including those in it who reject what God says. We still
physically live here awaiting Christ's coming to gather us all together
with him taking us out-from it. The word translated "whom" in verse 14
could also be translated as "which" referring to the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
In truth, neither circumcision presently and actively is something nor
uncircumcision (neither state is of any
importance from God's viewpoint today in this age of the covenant of
spirit).
Circumcision (the cutting-around of flesh, thus separating and removing
the foreskin) was the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham
(Genesis chapter 17), and then it was to be passed down to his seed.
Later on in years, God gave laws and precepts to Moses for the children
of Israel to follow. These were known as "the law" to God's people who
were descendants of Abraham, and that law incorporated the sign of
circumcision. The casting-off of the flesh helped God's people look
forward to the coming of the Christ and the redemption and salvation
that he would accomplish which would allow them to receive holy
spirit-life and not be limited to the flesh. Therefore, to be
uncircumcised would mean that that male, and his family, did not want to
be part of God's covenant, it would be a demonstration of his rejection
of what God had said, what God had promised Abraham and his seed.
Since the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) when holy
spirit, the spirit of Christ, was first made available, neither
is circumcision something nor uncircumcision
– but in contrast, the new creation presently and actively is
something! The new creation is the gift of holy
spirit which all holy-people have received from God by means of
the Lord Jesus Christ. This new creation is important.
Let us read two verses from Paul's letter of II Corinthians chapter 5
in-which he also talks about this new creation (refer to "Study of II
Corinthians"):
II Corinthians 5:16 and 17:
.16So-that we from-now-on knew2
not-one-person according to flesh, even if we knew2
Christ according to flesh but now we no-longer know (him
according to flesh), .17so-that if someone (is)
in Christ (he is) a new creation, the old-things went-by,
look!, new-things have come-to-pass2;
In his letter to the churches of Galatia,
Paul writes that neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision is something, but the new creation is something,
and the amount of people who would walk-in-line (behave themselves
walking in line and advancing in an orderly manner, step-by-step, in
accordance) with this measuring-rod (the cannon, guiding-rule,
straight-line of demarcation which is, and is set-by, and issues-from
the new creation which is our holy spirit-life) – peace
(tranquil-harmony without strife) is extended in motion down-on them and
mercy (active-relief because of withholding merited judgment) – peace
and mercy emphatically is on the Israel of God.
Paul is writing this letter by revelation and therefore it is God's peace
and mercy which is given to the Israel of God today, who are all of us
holy-people/Christians, as we walk in line with the new creation's
measuring-rod during our everyday living. We have already received peace
and mercy spiritually within our holy spirit, and as we walk-in-line
with this measuring-rod, God's peace and mercy is on us, even on the
Israel of God. We continue receiving help via our holy spirit so that we
can manifest forth this knowledge, information, able power, etc, in
different situations and circumstances. Even though in the flesh
category in this present world the Christians who walk in line with the
new creation may be persecuted, we are assured that we receive now and
we will continue to receive peace and mercy from God and the Lord Jesus
Christ. And, we holy-people are the true "Israel of God" in this age of
the covenant of spirit, the new creation.
"Israel" was the name that God originally gave to Jacob who was the son
of Isaac who was the son of Abraham. Jacob was the father of the twelve
men from whom twelve tribes came, and these tribes became known as the
children/sons of Israel. Jacob's name-change is recorded in Genesis
32:28 and 35:10. The name "Israel" means: the one who is strong with
God, the one who strives or wrestles to receive God’s blessings, and who
accomplishes God’s goals by doing God’s intention allowing God to be his
guide via God’s spirit realm. God commands, rules,
and has authority over Israel. All holy-people, whether of a
Judean/Israeli background or a Gentile/other-nation background, are
God's Israel since the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) when the gift
of holy spirit was first made available to
mankind. All of us holy-people have the spirit of Christ in us, and God
is the One Who ultimately rules over us, and
we are to walk-in-line with our holy spirit-life within us.
[Reference: John 3:1-7; Romans 4:11, 12, 6:3-11; I Corinthians 1:29-2:2,
7:19; Galatians 5:24 and 25; Ephesians 2:1-10 and 16, 4:24; Philippians
2:8, 3:3; Colossians 2:14.]
Galatians 6:17:
.17From-now-on not-one-person must present
labors to me for I lift-up the brands of Jesus in my body.
From now on (of the rest, pertaining-to the time remaining, henceforth)
no-one must have/hold beside (offer) causes for me to exert wearisome
efforts (toils, beating me regarding what I have written about in this
letter, e.g. circumcision and the law) in the walk/behavior category
causing scars in my mind or literal beatings causing scars in my flesh –
in truth I lift-up (bear, support, carry) the brands of Jesus within my
body (the stigmata, pricks or marks which belong-to Jesus which remain,
as having been burned into my body and cannot be removed). Jesus is the
one who carried-out God's will in order to accomplish redemption and
make salvation available to mankind – he is both Lord and Christ. I have
received the gift of holy spirit which is the spirit of Christ in me and
no-one or nothing can remove my holy spirit-life from me – everything
that the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished he has given to me
spiritually and I manifest it forth during the everyday living of my
life.
If anyone was looking for physical proof of Paul's apostleship and
ministry, then they could plainly view the marks in his flesh caused by
pointed-instruments pricking and burning into him leaving scars as a
result of his dedication to following the direction and instructions of
his Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Galatian
Christians already had physically seen the physical evidence of all that
Paul was going-through at times because of the activities of those
against him and against the good-message, against the covenant of spirit
which he was apostled to herald-forth to people, which Paul has written
about earlier in chapter 4 of this letter. Paul did not need the
evidence of either being physically circumcised or not-circumcised
because these are irrelevant today.
If anyone was looking for spiritual proof of Paul's apostleship and
ministry, then they could plainly view the evidence of Paul's
manifesting of that holy spirit-life which was within him as he
ministered among them, and that Paul partook of the fruit of the spirit
in his life, plus he also wrote this letter to them by revelation from
the Lord Jesus Christ via that same holy spirit-life within him. Paul
most definitely had the spirit of Christ in him and he was a
branded-slave of Christ! There was plenty of proof if people really
wanted to know the truth about Paul and his apostleship and ministry;
circumcision or uncircumcision was not a
deciding factor as far as Paul was concerned because he was saying and
writing and doing what God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ instructed
him.
[Reference: Matthew 26:10; II Corinthians 4:7-12, 11:23-28, 12:7.]
Verse 18:
.18(May) the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (be)
with your spirit, brothers, with-certainty.
Paul's opening address in this letter to the churches of
Galatia included grace, and here he
closes-out this letter by expressing this prayerful desire: may it be
that the grace (the unmerited, freely-bestowed favor) of, belonging-to
and proceeding-from our Lord Jesus Christ is in company and association
with your spirit, brothers, with-certainty! Amen! Truly! Surely!
There is surety in what is written.
Notice that Paul writes "your" (plural) "spirit" (singular), literally =
the spirit of you. All of us holy-people have the same holy spirit-life
within us, not separate entities! We are limbs of the one spiritual body
of Christ. We have the new creation which is the spirit of Christ in us,
and it is via this holy spirit that our Lord
Jesus Christ extends his grace to us as we walk/behave ourselves
according to his will which is also God's will.
And, Paul again calls these Galatian
holy-people "brothers" – at the close of this letter he again reminds
them that they, including Paul and all other holy-people, had all
received holy spirit from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ and this
is what made them brothers; all holy-people are sons of God, and God is
our Father.
[Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (2) immediately following
them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the
"Relevant Notes" link of this study.]
May the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit,
brothers,
with-certainty.
