Of this I am fully persuaded, that He who has begun a good work in you will go on completing it until the day of Jesus Christ.

For God is my witness that I long to see you with the [same] affection that Christ Jesus has [for you].

Now I want you to know, believers, that what has happened to me [this imprisonment that was meant to stop me] has actually served to advance [the spread of] the good news [regarding salvation].

My imprisonment in [the cause of] Christ has become common knowledge throughout the whole praetorian (imperial) guard and to everyone else.

Moreover, because of my imprisonment the Lord has caused most of the brothers to become confident to speak God's word more boldly and courageously than ever before.

These latter do it from love for me, for they know that God has put me where I am to defend our right to preach the good news.

Because to you it has been given in the cause of Christ not only to have faith in him, but to undergo pain on his account:

For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

to hold up the message of life. That will give me ground for boasting on the day of Christ, because neither my career nor my labor has been a failure.

Even if my life-blood has to be poured as a libation on the sacred sacrifice of faith you are offering to God, I rejoice, I congratulate you all ??18 and you in turn must rejoice and congratulate me.

But you know of Timothy’s tested worth and his proven character, that he has served with me to advance the gospel like a son serving with his father.

However, I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, [who has been] my brother and companion and fellow soldier, who was also sent as your messenger to take care of my needs.

For he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.

For it is true that he has been ill, and was apparently at the point of death; but God had pity on him, and not only on him, but also on me, to save me from having sorrow upon sorrow.

though I myself might have [some grounds for] confidence in the flesh [if I were pursuing salvation by works]. If anyone else thinks that he has reason to be confident in the flesh [that is, in his own efforts to achieve salvation], I have far more:

Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.

I press towards the mark for the prize to which God has called me from above by Jesus Christ.

for our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens, from which also we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour,

who shall transform our body of humiliation into conformity to his body of glory, according to the working of the power which he has even to subdue all things to himself.

Finally, my brethren, whatever has the character of truth, of dignity, of justice, of chastity, whatever can procure you esteem and reputation, in a word, if there be any thing virtuous or praise-worthy, let that be the object of your enquiry.

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.