the others out of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

for I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is much preferable:

And as I am confident of this, I know that I shall abide and shall continue with you all, for your improvement and the joy of your faith:

that ye may be blameless and inoffensive, the children of God without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom ye shine as lights in the world,

Yea doubtless and I count all but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all, and I account them but dung, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him,

not that I have yet won the prize, or am already perfect: but I press forward to acquire that perfection, for which also I have been apprehended by Christ Jesus.

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction,

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord, that your care for me has now flourished again; for whom ye were indeed careful before, but ye wanted opportunity.

Not that I speak on account of want; for I have learnt in whatever circumstances I am, to be contented.

I know both how to be abased, and how to abound: in every place, and in all conditions I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, to abound and to be in want.

And indeed I have it all, and now abound: I am fully supplied, having received of Epaphroditus the things sent by you, a fragrant odor, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.