Upon every remembrance of you I am ever thanking my God for you all;

in every petition of mine in your behalf I am offering my prayer with joy for your fellowship in forwarding the gospel,

God is my witness how I yearn for you all in the tenderness of Christ Jesus.

for testing things that differ, so that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,

Throughout the whole Praetorian guard and among all the others it has become plain that these chains of mine are for the sake of Christ;

and most of the brothers in the Lord, made confident in the Lord through my imprisonment, are much emboldened to speak God's message with free and fearless confidence.

These latter out of their love, because they know that I am set here for the defense of the gospel;

For I know that these things will turn out to my salvation through your prayers and a rich supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

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

but am in a quandary between the two. I am perplexed. I have a strong desire to break camp and to be with Christ, which is far better;

but for your sakes it is more necessary that I should still live on in the body.

And because I am convinced of this, I know that I shall live, and go on working side by side with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,

Only do lead lives worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come to see you or hear reports concerning you in my absence, I may know that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul, enlisted in a common struggle for the faith of the gospel,

and in no way terrorized by its enemies. For you fearlessness is a clear indication of coming ruin for them, but of salvation for you at the hands of God.

For it has been granted you in Christ's behalf, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake,

Let each have an eye not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

And for this God highly exalted him, and graciously bestowed upon him the name which is above every name;

for it is God who, in his good-will is ever working in you both will and deed.

holding out a message of life. Thus it will be my boast at the day of Christ that I have not run in vain, or toiled for nothing.

For I have no other like him with a genuine concern for your welfare,

for they are all seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

for he has been homesick for you all, and distressed at your having heard of his illness.

for it was through the work of the Lord that he came near to death; for he hazarded his very life to supply what was lacking in the help you sent me.

Finally, my brothers, continue to rejoice in the Lord. To write the same thing is not indeed wearisome to me, and it is safe for you.

For we are the true circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, and make our boast in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in outward rites,

although I myself might have confidence in outward rites. If any one else claims a right to trust in them, far more may I;

But what was once gain to me, that I have counted loss for Christ.

In very truth I count all things but loss compared to the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and esteem them but refuse that I may gain Christ,

I do not say that I have already won, or am already perfect, but I am passing on to lay hold on the prize for which also Christ has laid hold of me.

I am ever pressing on toward the goal, for the prize of God's heavenward call in Christ Jesus.

Let us all then, who are mature Christians, strive for this! God will make this clear to any of you who are striving for other goals;

For there are many??s I used often to tell you, and am now telling you even with tears??ho live and walk as the enemies of the cross of Christ.

Stand fast then, brothers, dearly loved and longed for, my joy and my crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved!

yes, and I beg you also, my true yokefellow, to help them; for these women shared my toil in the furtherance of the gospel, together with Clement, and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life.

Moreover, I greatly rejoiced in the Lord that now once more your care for me blossomed afresh; though indeed you did take thought in this matter, but you lacked the opportunity of expression.

Not that I speak as if I were in want, for at least have learned how to be content, whatever happens.

I am strong for everything in Him who gives me strength.

For even while I was still in Thessalonica, you sent once and again for my needs.

It is not your gifts I am eager for, but I am eager for the abundant profit that accrues to your divine account.

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.