So Joseph sent a message ¹  and invited ²  his father Jacob and all his relatives to come, seventy-five people ³  in all.

You know ¹  the message ²  he sent to the people ³  of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace ⁴  through ⁵  Jesus Christ ⁶  (he is Lord ⁷  of all) –

Brothers, ¹  descendants ²  of Abraham’s family, ³  and those Gentiles among you who fear God, ⁴  the message ⁵  of this salvation has been sent to us.

They went through the region of Phrygia ¹  and Galatia, ²  having been prevented ³  by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message ⁴  in the province of Asia. ⁵ 

Even some of the provincial authorities ¹  who were his friends sent ²  a message ³  to him, urging him not to venture ⁴  into the theater.

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you – unless you believed in vain.

But from those who were influential ¹  (whatever they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism between people ² ) – those influential leaders ³  added ⁴  nothing to my message. ⁵ 

Pray ¹  for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak ²  – that I may confidently make known ³  the mystery of the gospel,

Your faith and love have arisen ¹  from the hope laid up ²  for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospel ³ 

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received ¹  the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction.

Finally, pray for us, brothers and sisters, ¹  that the Lord’s message ²  may spread quickly and be honored ³  as in fact it was among you,

But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed.

for which I suffer hardship to the point of imprisonment ¹  as a criminal, but God’s message ²  is not imprisoned! ³ 

Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately. ¹ 

But now in his own time ¹  he has made his message evident through the preaching I was entrusted with according to the command of God our Savior.

to be self-controlled, ¹  pure, fulfilling their duties at home, ²  kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message ³  of God may not be discredited. ⁴ 

and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss, ¹  because he has nothing evil to say about us.

For if the message spoken through angels ¹  proved to be so firm that every violation ²  or disobedience received its just penalty,

Remember your leaders, who spoke God’s message to you; reflect on the outcome of their lives and imitate their faith.