“Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, (my) dearly beloved.
I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and (with) other my fellowlabourers, whose names (are) in the book of life.”
“So— then, my Brothers, beloved and passionately-longed-for, my joy and crown, thus stand-fast in (the) Lord, Beloved.
Euodia I-urge, and Syntyche I-urge, to-mind the same-(thing) (or, to-be-of the same mind) in (the) Lord. Yes, I-entreat even thee, true yoke-fellow, take-hold-along-with them (these women), in-that-they struggled-along-with me in the gospel, with Clement also and my remaining fellow-laborers, whose names (are) in (the) book of-life.”
Philippians 4:1-31Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. 2I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. 3And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlaborers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:1‑3)
The words “so then,” link this verse to the chapter we have just been considering. There we saw the fight fought, the victory won, and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, able to subdue all things: “So then— my brothers,” with such a hope, and such a Lord, “thus stand-fast in the Lord, beloved” (vs. 1). We are fighting under a Captain who is able to subdue every foe: a Captain who has never lost a battle, and never will: so then, we may well ‘stand-fast in the Lord’. It is the voice of the Captain cheering on His soldiers to stand fast against the shock of a charge by the enemy.
But before we speak of this, we must first bask for a while in the sunshine of the love that radiates from this verse: “My brothers, beloved and passionately longed for, my joy and crown.... beloved.” Our lovely Authorized Version has “dearly beloved,” in each case, instead of “beloved” alone: and I confess I like it better: and it may be right: only in the original it has but the one word, “beloved,” with no word qualifying it. But it is the stronger word, telling of the love of God: and I am not sure that our own English word, “beloved,” may not have lost some of the fervor that is contained in the Greek; and so “dearly beloved,” may give the Apostle’s meaning more truly.
As has been mentioned, this has been called “Paul’s love-letter”. Another has said— “This prolonged form of address has no parallel in St. Paul’s writings” But then, perhaps, the Philippian saints had “no parallel” in the affection the Apostle bore towards them. Notice that final “Beloved”, he seems to linger over this theme, as if unable to break away from it. It makes me think of the way “a certain Man” seemed to delight to repeat “greatly beloved” (Dan. 10:1919And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. (Daniel 10:19)) in Dan. 10:5, 11, 195Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: (Daniel 10:5)
11And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. (Daniel 10:11)
19And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. (Daniel 10:19) and then adds, “Be strong, yea, be strong” (Dan. 10:1919And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. (Daniel 10:19)). This love, known and treasured, whether with Daniel, whether with the Philippian saints, or whether with ourselves, makes strong: for “Love is strong as death” (Song of Sol. 8:66Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. (Song of Solomon 8:6)).
And then he calls them, “My joy and crown” (vs. 1). It is the ‘victor’s wreath’, of which he speaks here: the prize for winning in an athletic contest. It is the crown of ‘glory and honor’ our Savior won, (Heb. 2:99But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)), by wearing the crown of thorns. We suggested that the prize mentioned in Philippians 39And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (Philippians 3:9) was Christ Himself. But here it is the saints in Philippi who are his crown.
This may be another prize: for the Lord does not stint His gifts. It does not say if this is a present reward, or future. But in 1 Thess. 2:1919For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? (1 Thessalonians 2:19) the Apostle writes: “What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” (1 Thess. 2:1919For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? (1 Thessalonians 2:19)). This would seem to indicate that it is a future reward: but I have not a doubt that both the Thessalonian saints and the Philippian saints were an unspeakable joy to the Apostle even now down here: so it is possible both present and future are included: at least in the joy. Those who have had the joy of winning souls to Christ will well understand his meaning. And after this, he still must repeat— “Beloved!”
Having lavished his love upon them, he now enjoins:
“Thus stand-fast in (the) Lord” (vs. 1).
Do you remember Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite? He is one of my special favorites. “The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentils: and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory” (2 Sam. 23:11-1211And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. 12But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory. (2 Samuel 23:11‑12)). Shammah stood fast. It is a grand thing to stand, and better still to stand fast. Many a victory has been won by a single soldier of Christ, because he stood fast. In Gal. 2:1111But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. (Galatians 2:11), we read of Paul winning just such a victory, single-handed, at Antioch. And, on the other hand, ‘many mighty men are lost, by daring not to stand’.
In Philippians 1:2727Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (Philippians 1:27) we have met this same word: only there it is “standing fast in one spirit, with one soul, together contending for the faith of the gospel, and not being scared in anything.” The Apostle would have his beloved Philippian brethren standing together as a regiment of soldiers, not one giving way.
In the following cases in the New Testament we are to stand fast:
You have, I am sure, noticed how often we get the word ‘stand’ in connection with ‘the whole armor of God’ in Eph. 6. In verse 11; twice in verse 13; and again in verse 14. The word is different, and perhaps not as emphatic as the one we have been considering: but it plainly shows how important it is to stand. A beloved brother once said to me, “All giving up is of the devil.” And I believe he was right. Let us never give up: for remember we are exhorted to ‘stand fast in the Lord’.
One of the special marks of the boards of the Tabernacle was that they were ‘standing up’. (Ex. 26:15; 36:2015And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. (Exodus 26:15)
20And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up. (Exodus 36:20)). How did they stand? Each board stood on two sockets of solid silver, (each weighing about 114 pounds) and Moses ‘fastened’ the sockets (Ex. 40:1818And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars. (Exodus 40:18)): so how firm and solid they must have been. Each board had two ‘hands’ (Ex. 26:1717Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. (Exodus 26:17): Margin) that took firm hold of the silver sockets. The sockets were made from the “redemption money,” (Num. 3:4949And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites: (Numbers 3:49)) and told of the redemption which is in Christ Jesus: so is absolutely secure. Each board tells of an individual believer. Each took fast hold of each socket with the “hands” of faith; and the top was held fast by cords (Ex. 35:1818The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords, (Exodus 35:18)). We read of the cords of a man, with bands of love (Hos. 11:44I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them. (Hosea 11:4)), so I think the cords tell of love: and once again we find that love makes all strong and firm. So in this beautiful picture we see each believer is to “stand fast in the Lord” (vs. 1).
“Stand fast in Christ”; ah! yet again
He teacheth all the band;
If human efforts are in vain,
In Christ it is we stand.
We have already noticed that in these few verses in Philippians we have seen the saint run: which tells of pressing toward the mark, at the end of the race. We have seen him walk, which tells of his behavior, his “walk” through this world, before those about him. Now we are called on to see him stand. Perhaps this is hardest of all, and if we try in our own strength, we will surely fall; but we are specially told it is “in the Lord,” we are to stand: and in our last verse of Philippians 3, we read:
“HE IS ABLE”
In Psa. 1:11Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (Psalm 1:1), we read “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” So we see we may “walk” and “stand” and “sit,” in the wrong way, as well as “run” and “walk” and “stand” in the right way. May the Lord help us to choose the right!
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We come now to the sad sight of a hindrance to the Apostle’s exhortation to “stand fast.” A regiment of soldiers cannot possibly stand fast if they are not of one mind, but are engaged in opposing each other instead of the enemy: and that is just what was happening in Philippi.
Euodia and Syntyche were two sisters in Philippi between whom a misunderstanding, or quarrel, had arisen. Paul knew these two sisters well for they had shared his contest in the gospel in the early days, when first he preached there. We do not know what was the cause of the quarrel, but we do know that “only by pride cometh contention” (Prov. 13:1010Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. (Proverbs 13:10)). It is probable that Epaphroditus had brought word to Paul of this sad trouble in the assembly at Philippi: and I think it had weighed heavily on the Apostle’s mind as he has been writing. In the second verse of the second chapter, he had written: “Fulfill my joy when ye mind the same thing.” Now he uses exactly the same words, but this time addressed directly to the ones quarreling. It would seem that he had them in mind when he wrote these words the first time.
Notice how wisely he speaks to these sisters: “Euodia I urge, Syntyche I urge, to mind the same thing in the Lord.” He does not say, “I urge Euodia and Syntyche.” But he speaks to each one separately: not suggesting one is more to blame than another. Indeed he makes no suggestion of any blame. You remember our Lord said: “If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matt. 5:23-2423Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (Matthew 5:23‑24)). That is what these sisters should have done. The Greek word for “be reconciled” is di-allasso. This word is never used for man to be reconciled to God. Then it is a different word, kat-allasso. Di-allasso denotes mutual concession after mutual hostility, an idea absent in kat-allasso. (Abbott-Smith, quoting Lightfoot). It would seem that when saints have a quarrel or misunderstanding, the Lord sees that generally, if not always, there is fault on both sides; and both need to make concessions. Euodia would have to make concessions to Syntyche, and Syntyche would need to make concessions to Euodia. There is a possible exception to this in the case of a wife who had left her husband and wished to be reconciled to him again: 1 Cor. 7:1111But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. (1 Corinthians 7:11): here kat-allasso is used. But this, perhaps, we can understand, as she (a Christian woman) had been told not to depart from her husband. I think every other case where this word is used, is speaking of man being reconciled to God: where, of course, man only is wrong, and makes concessions.
Paul knew the Scripture, “The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention before it be meddled with” (Prov. 17:1414The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. (Proverbs 17:14)). This would make him the more urgent to see this strife settled. Mr. Lavington writes: “From a small beginning, if it is not judged, evil will spread. How many a time from a very small root there has arisen that which has taken floods of tears to settle. Let us be watchful. Beloved, if you have anything against one another, judge it before the Lord. You cannot be happy with the Lord, while you are not of one mind with your brethren.”
On the other hand, there are times when the truth and glory of God are concerned, and we dare not give in on such questions. Some years ago there was a very popular writer who remarked: “Let the truth of God suffer, but let not love suffer.” This we cannot do. Let God be true, but every man a liar. But we need to be exceedingly careful that it is not our own opinion and our own will that we are pressing. Cromwell wrote to his fellow-Christians in Scotland: “I beseech thee by the mercies of the Beloved to try to conceive of the possibility of being wrong.” I recall my mother once saying: “In a quarrel, give way whenever you possibly can, and then it will be known, if you do not, that it is because you cannot do so with a good conscience.” I think that is sound advice.
“Yes, I entreat even thee, true yoke-fellow, take-hold-along-with them, (these women), in that they struggled along with me in the gospel” (Phil. 4:33And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlaborers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:3)).
There is a very beautiful change from the word Paul used to address Euodia and Syntyche, to the word he uses to his “true yoke-fellow” (vs. 3). He gives what is almost a command to Euodia and Syntyche: but of his colleague he asks a favor. Only in his letters to his beloved Macedonian Christians (in Philippi and Thessalonica) does Paul use the more gracious word. (1 Thess. 4:11Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. (1 Thessalonians 4:1), where both words are linked together; 1 Thess. 5:12; 212And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; (1 Thessalonians 5:12)
12That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:12) Thess. 2:1).
Another Scripture that may have come to Paul at this time is Prov. 18:1919A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. (Proverbs 18:19). “A brother offended is harder to be won than a fenced city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle”; cold, straight, unbending; bedded in cold, hard stone; and they cannot come together. But, bring heat enough and soon they can be close to each other. That, I think, is partly why there was such burning love in verse 1. Paul well knew the danger and the difficulty: and so he turns to his “true yoke-fellow,” (vs. 3) and entreats his help in this most difficult and delicate matter. For sisters are as hard to win as brothers. I have little doubt that the “true yoke-fellow” (vs. 3) was Epaphroditus. Very likely he was writing the letter at Paul’s dictation, just as Tertius wrote the letter to the Romans from Paul’s dictation (Rom. 16:2222I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. (Romans 16:22)). You remember how in that letter Tertius interrupted the dictation to send a little message of his own. My own thought is that similarly Paul broke off his dictation to say to Epaphroditus, “Yes, I entreat even thee, true yoke-fellow, help them, (these women) who struggled along with me in the gospel.” Undoubtedly Paul and Epaphroditus had talked this whole matter over, and Paul may already have suggested to Epaphroditus that he help them in their difficulties. Quite likely, Epaphroditus was alarmed at such a prospect, and this would give us to understand the Apostle’s word, “Yes!”— “Yes! Epaphroditus, you help them!” “Oh, not I!” perhaps he replied: “Yes! I entreat even thee, true yoke-fellow! Take hold along with them; for they struggled along with me in the gospel.” And Epaphroditus wrote it down, even though perhaps he was not meant to, and how glad we are he did! The word translated help is the same word used when Simon Peter got that wonderful catch of fish in Luke 522But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? (Luke 5:22): they beckoned to their partners to take hold along with them to bring in the fish. Here in Philippians 4:33And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlaborers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:3) it is in the “middle voice,” which intimates doing something for oneself: so may suggest that Euodia and Syntyche were, at least, wanting to get the old strife settled.
And remember Paul told them to “mind the same thing in the Lord.” How sad and disgraceful when those “in the Lord” quarrel. Both in Him; and yet quarreling! In verse 1 of this chapter the Apostle wrote: “Stand fast in the Lord” (vs. 1).
Now it is, “Mind the same thing in the Lord,” and in verse 4 we read: “Rejoice in the Lord” (ch. 3:1). Does this not tell us that whatever we do, we are to do it `in the Lord’. And if we did but bear this in mind— have it in our hearts: how careful it would make us in all our actions!
The apostle urges help for these sisters, for he recalls in the days gone by how they “struggled along with me in the gospel.” There is no suggestion that they preached: there is no reference to public service here. There is a great difference between preaching the gospel, and sharing the contentions of the gospel. Many a man has labored diligently in the gospel, but never preached in his life; and there might be men and women who were striving every day in the gospel as diligently, or more so, even, than those who preached it every day.
There is beautiful choice in the language of the Holy Spirit: and we do well to give careful heed to it. We all ought to know that the New Testament puts the Christian woman in the place of exceeding blessedness, removing every thought that would give her an inferior place in Christ, but it puts her also at the same time in the background, wherever it is a case of public action. Here officially, so to speak, the man is called to be uncovered, the woman to be veiled. She is thus as it were put behind the man, whereas, when you speak of our privileges in Christ, there is neither male nor female. It is important to see where there is no difference and where there is. The first epistle to Corinthians is most plain that the head of the woman is the man, so the man is the glory of the woman. We find there the administrative difference between the man and the woman. When you come to the heavenly privileges we have in Christ, all these distinctions disappear. There is no public action that I know in the world or in the Church allotted to the Christian woman. As to private dealing with souls, the case is different. In their father’s house, the four daughters of Philip may have prophesied. They were evidently highly gifted women; for it is not said of them that they labored in the gospel, but that they prophesied— one of the highest forms of gift from Christ. At the same time the Holy Spirit, who tells us that a woman might and did prophesy as a fact, instructs us that it is forbidden for a woman to speak in the Church where prophesying properly had its course. But there a woman was forbidden to speak, not even allowed to ask a question, much less to give an answer. Yet as to the private scene, at home, even with an Apollos, a woman might fitly act: that is, if she acted with and under her husband. Priscilla might be of more spiritual weight than Aquila; but this very thing would lead her to be most careful to take an unobtrusive lowly place. (Acts 18:24-2624And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. (Acts 18:24‑26)).
There is no suggestion that Euodia and Syntyche had ever put themselves forward in an unseemly public sort; but they had shared the early trials of the gospel with Paul. At Corinth, on the contrary, the women seem to have assumed much, and the apostle manifests his sense of it by the reproachful demand, if the Word of God came out from them, or if it came to them only. (1 Cor. 14:3636What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? (1 Corinthians 14:36)). No doubt they reasoned that, if women have gifts, why should they not exercise them and exercise them in all places? But He who gives gifts is alone entitled to say when, how, and by whom they are to be exercised. At Philippi where there was an obedient spirit, there might have been too much reluctance to meddle with these otherwise estimable women, who were estranged from each other. So the Apostle asks Epaphroditus to help them: “Help them who are such as contended with me in the gospel.” He gives them special praise. They strove with him in the work. He joins himself with these good women whom Epaphroditus seems to have been afraid to try and help. He joins them also with Clement and other fellow-laborers: not named: but whose names are recorded above in the Book of Life. And so he praises and encourages the fellowship in the service of the gospel not only with faithful men, but with women whose faithfulness was not forgotten because there were painful hindrances just now.
Perhaps we should not leave this verse without a few words about ‘the Book of Life’. You recall Moses asked the Lord to blot him out of His book, if only the Lord would spare Israel: but the Lord would not blot Moses out of His book, instead He found a way to spare His people. (Ex. 32:3232Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. (Exodus 32:32)).
In Luke 10 the Seventy returned to our Lord with joy, saying, “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy Name” (Luke 10:1717And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. (Luke 10:17)). But the Lord told them not to rejoice in this; “but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:2020Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20)). In Heb. 12:2323To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Hebrews 12:23) we read of the “church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven” (Heb. 12:2323To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Hebrews 12:23)) In Rev. 3:55He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5) the Lord promises the overcomer in the church in Sardis— the church that had a name to live but was dead— He promises the overcomer, “I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life” (Rev. 3:55He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5)). Some have had difficulty over this verse, thinking that it tells us that we can be saved, and afterward lost: that our names can be written in the Book of Life, and then blotted out. I think if we remember that this church had a name to live, but were dead, that all is plain. They claimed they had eternal life, but they had not: they claimed their names were in the Book of Life; but they were not there rightfully. It has been compared to a voting register. A list of the names of all those who claim to have a right to vote is published: but when these claims are examined, it is proved that some had no such right, and their names are crossed out. There is not a suggestion that one who truly has eternal life, will ever have his name crossed out of the Book of Life.
In Rev. 20:1111And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Revelation 20:11) we see the Great White Throne, and Him that sat on it and the dead small and great must come and be judged by Him. Books were opened; and another book was opened which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of the things written in the books according to their works. And if any one was not found written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the lake of fire. Reader, is your name in the Book of Life?
In Rev. 21 we read of the holy city, new Jerusalem; and there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Well may we rejoice, as the Lord told the Seventy, if our names are written in heaven: written I doubt not, in the Lamb’s Book of Life! (Luke 10:2020Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20)).
Now the God of endurance and
of encouragement
give to you to be
like-minded one toward another,
according to Christ Jesus;
that ye may
with one accord, with one mouth,
glorify the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Wherefore
receive ye one another,
according as
the Christ also has received you
to the glory of God.