So it is my keen expectation and hope that I shall never feel ashamed, but that with fearless courage, now as hither to, Christ may be magnified in my body, whether by my life or by my death.

But I hold not my life of any account, as dear unto myself, if only I may run my race, and accomplish the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to attest the gospel of the grace of God.

"What do you mean by thus breaking my heart with your grief?" answered Paul. "For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus."

For my part, I will most gladly spend, yea, and will myself be spent, for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I to be loved the less?

So in my fond affection it was my joy to give you, not only the gospel of God, but my very life also, because you had become dear to me.

I for my part am a libation already being poured in sacrifice; and the time of my unmooring is at hand.

By this we learn to know love, because he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

The sacrifice

But I give you a receipt in full for all things abound. I am amply supplied with what you sent by Epaphroditus??n odor of sweet fragrance, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.

I entreat you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies to Him as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. This is your reasonable service of worship.

I act as priest of the gospel of God; so that the Gentiles, when offered before him, may be an acceptable sacrifice, because consecrated by the Holy Spirit.

In his name, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that confess his name.

And yourselves like living stones be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, through Christ Jesus.

I joy

Great is my faith in you; great is my cheerful assurance in you. I am filled with comfort; in spite of all my troubles, my heart is overflowing with joy.

I am now rejoicing in my sufferings on your behalf; and I am filling up in my own body what is yet lacking of the sufferings of Christ in behalf of the church, his Body.

I have been comforted, my brothers, in regard to you, in spite of all my distress and affliction over your faith.

General references

so that you may find me fresh cause of exultation in Christ Jesus, because of my presence among you once more.