And I am justified in having this confidence about you all, because, both during my imprisonment and when I stand up in defence of the Good News or to confirm its truth, I have you in my heart, sharers as you all are in the same grace as myself.

Now I would have you know, brethren, that what I have gone through has turned out to the furtherance of the Good News rather than otherwise.

in fulfilment of my eager expectation and hope that I shall never have reason to feel ashamed, but that by my perfect freedom of speech Christ will be glorified in me, now as always, either by my life or by my death.

so that, as Christians, you may have additional reason for glorying about me as the result of my being with you again.

For you have had the privilege granted you on behalf of Christ--not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on His behalf;

If then I can appeal to you as the followers of Christ, if there is any persuasive power in love and any common sharing of the Spirit, or if you have any tender-heartedness and compassion, make my joy complete by being of one mind,

Therefore, my dearly-loved friends, as I have always found you obedient, labour earnestly with fear and trembling--not merely as though I were present with you, but much more now since I am absent from you--labour earnestly, I say, to make sure of your own salvation.

For I have no one likeminded with him, who will cherish a genuine care for you.

I am therefore all the more eager to send him, in the hope that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have the less sorrow.

For we are the true circumcision--we who render to God a spiritual worship and make our boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in outward ceremonies:

although I myself might have some excuse for confidence in outward ceremonies. If any one else claims a right to trust in them, far more may I:

Yet all that was gain to me--for Christ's sake I have reckoned it loss.

Nay, I even reckon all things as pure loss because of the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. And for His sake I have suffered the loss of everything, and reckon it all as mere refuse, in order that I may win Christ and be found in union with Him,

I do not say that I have already won the race or have already reached perfection. But I am pressing on, striving to lay hold of the prize for which also Christ has laid hold of me.

Brethren, I do not imagine that I have yet laid hold of it. But this one thing I do--forgetting everything which is past and stretching forward to what lies in front of me,

But whatever be the point that we have already reached, let us persevere in the same course.

Brethren, vie with one another in imitating me, and carefully observe those who follow the example which we have set you.

For there are many whom I have often described to you, and I now even with tears describe them, as being enemies to the Cross of Christ.

Yes, and I beg you also, my faithful yoke-fellow, to help these women who have shared my toil in connection with the Good News, together with Clement and the rest of my fellow labourers, whose names are recorded in the Book of Life.

But I rejoice with a deep and holy joy that now at length you have revived your thoughtfulness for my welfare. Indeed you have always been thoughtful for me, although opportunity failed you.

I have strength for anything through Him who gives me power.

I have enough of everything--and more than enough. My wants are fully satisfied now that I have received from the hands of Epaphroditus the generous gifts which you sent me--they are a fragrant odor, an acceptable sacrifice, truly pleasing to God.