I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you

For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

For it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God's grace together with me.

For God is my witness that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,

The whole imperial guard and everyone else knows that I am in prison for the sake of Christ,

The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel.

The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment.

for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.

Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don't know which I prefer:

I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far,

but it is more vital for your sake that I remain in the body.

And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith,

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that -- whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent -- I should hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,

For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him,

for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort -- for the sake of his good pleasure -- is God.

For there is no one here like him who will readily demonstrate his deep concern for you.

But for now I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to me in my need.

Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you can rejoice and I can be free from anxiety.

since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me.

Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, exult in Christ Jesus, and do not rely on human credentials

In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.

More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things -- indeed, I regard them as dung! -- that I may gain Christ,

Not that I have already attained this -- that is, I have not already been perfected -- but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead,

For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

I have great joy in the Lord because now at last you have again expressed your concern for me. (Now I know you were concerned before but had no opportunity to do anything.)

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance.

For even in Thessalonica on more than one occasion you sent something for my need.

For I have received everything, and I have plenty. I have all I need because I received from Epaphroditus what you sent -- a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, very pleasing to God.