And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and all intelligence,

that ye may judge of and approve the things that are more excellent, in order that ye may be pure and without offence for Christ's day,

and that the most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord through my bonds, dare more abundantly to speak the word of God fearlessly.

but remaining in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes;

let nothing be in the spirit of strife or vain glory, but, in lowliness of mind, each esteeming the other as more excellent than themselves;

I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that seeing him ye might again rejoice, and that I might be the less sorrowful.