always in every supplication of mine for you all, making my supplication with joy

for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day till now:

as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; both in my bonds and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, I say I have you all in my heart as being joint par takers of my grace.

For God is my witness how ardently I love you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

I also pray for this, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all understanding,

so that my bonds which are for Christ have become known to be such in all the palace, and in all other places;

and most of the brethren in the Lord, having confidence in my bonds, are more bold to speak the word without fear.

These do it from love, because they know that I am set for the defense of the gospel;

for I know that this will result in my benefit through your supplication, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

But if this, my life in the flesh, would be profitable for my work in the ministry, verily, what I should choose I know not.

I am in a strait between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better:

yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

And of this I feel assured, that I shall remain and continue among you all for your advancement and joy in the faith,

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of the Christ, that, whether I come and see you, or be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving together for the faith of the gospel,

For to you it is given in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but, also, to suffer for him,

For which reason God has highly exalted him, and, also, bestowed on him a name that is above every name;

So, then, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

for it is God, who, of his good pleasure, works in you both the will and the power to perform.

for I have no one of a kindred spirit who will sincerely care for your condition:

for all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.

because for the work of the Christ he was near to death, not regarding his life, that he might supply that which was lacking in your service to me.

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is to me indeed not burdensome; but for you it is safe.

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;

But the things which were gain to me, these I counted loss for Christ.

Yes, verily, I also count all things to be loss, for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them to be refuse, that I may gain Christ,

Not that I have already attained, or have already reached the goal; but I am pressing forward, that I may lay hold on that for which I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus.

but one thing I do; forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forward to those which are before, I press toward the goal, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

But as far as we have attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us have the same mind.

Be imitators of me, brethren, and observe those who thus walk as you have us for an example.

For many walk, of whom I often said to you, and now say even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of the Christ,

But our citizenship is in heaven, whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at length your care for me has revived again; in this, indeed, you had me in mind, but you lacked opportunity.

I do not speak in respect to want: for I have learned, in whatever condition I am, to be content.

For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent once and again to aid me in my need.