And in all my prayers for you all, making my request with joy,

For I am certain of this very thing, that he by whom the good work was started in you will make it complete till the day of Jesus Christ:

So it is right for me to take thought for you all in this way, because I have you in my heart; for in my chains, and in my arguments before the judges in support of the good news, making clear that it is true, you all have your part with me in grace.

For God is my witness, how my love goes out to you all in the loving mercies of Christ Jesus.

And most of the brothers in the Lord, taking heart because of my chains, are all the stronger to give the word of God without fear.

These do it from love, conscious that I am responsible for the cause of the good news:

For I am conscious that this will be for my salvation, through your prayer and the giving out of the stored wealth of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

In the measure of my strong hope and belief that in nothing will I be put to shame, but that without fear, as at all times, so now will Christ have glory in my body, by life or by death.

For to me life is Christ and death is profit.

And being certain of this, I am conscious that I will go on, yes, and go on with you all, for your growth and joy in the faith;

Only let your behaviour do credit to the good news of Christ, so that if I come and see you or if I am away from you, I may have news of you that you are strong in one spirit, working together with one soul for the faith of the good news;

Having no fear of those who are against you; which is a clear sign of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God;

To whom, though himself in the form of God, it did not seem that to take for oneself was to be like God;

For this reason God has put him in the highest place and has given to him the name which is greater than every name;

So then, my loved ones, as you have at all times done what I say, not only when I am present, but now much more when I am not with you, give yourselves to working out your salvation with fear in your hearts;

For it is God who is the cause of your desires and of your acts, for his good pleasure.

Offering the word of life; so that I may have glory in you in the day of Christ, because my running was not for nothing and my work was not without effect.

And even if I am offered like a drink offering, giving myself for the cause and work of your faith, I am glad and have joy with you all:

For I have no man of like mind who will truly have care for you.

For they all go after what is theirs, not after the things of Christ.

Him then I am hoping to send as quickly as possible, when I am able to see how things will go for me:

But it seemed to me necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, who has taken part with me in the work and in the fight, and your servant, sent by you for help in my need;

For in fact he was ill almost to death: but God had mercy on him; and not only on him but on me, so that I might not have grief on grief.

Because for the work of Christ he was near to death, putting his life in danger to make your care for me complete.

For the rest, my brothers, be glad in the Lord. Writing the same things to you is no trouble to me, and for you it is safe.

For we are the circumcision, who give worship to God and have glory in Jesus Christ, and have no faith in the flesh:

But those things which were profit to me, I gave up for Christ.

Yes truly, and I am ready to give up all things for the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, which is more than all: for whom I have undergone the loss of all things, and to me they are less than nothing, so that I may have Christ as my reward,

Not as if I had even now got the reward or been made complete: but I go on in the hope that I may come to the knowledge of that for which I was made the servant of Christ Jesus.

Only, as far as we have got, let us be guided by the same rule.

For there are those, of whom I have given you word before, and do so now with sorrow, who are haters of the cross of Christ;

For our country is in heaven; from where the Saviour for whom we are waiting will come, even the Lord Jesus Christ:

For the rest, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things have honour, whatever things are upright, whatever things are holy, whatever things are beautiful, whatever things are of value, if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, give thought to these things.

But I am very glad in the Lord that your care for me has come to life again; though you did in fact take thought for me, but you were not able to give effect to it.

But I will not say anything about my needs, for I am able, wherever I am, to be dependent on myself.

But you did well to have care for me in my need.

Not that I am looking for an offering, but for fruit which may be put to your credit.

Now to God our Father be glory for ever and ever. So be it.