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

and very many of our brethren in the Lord, assuming confidence from my chains, are more abundantly bold, fearlessly to preach the word.

but to abide in the flesh may be more necessary for you.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always been obedient, not only during my presence with you, but now much more in my absence, with fear and trembling work out your own salvation.

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

Though I too might have confidence in the flesh; if any other man thinks that he may have confidence in the flesh, I may claim more:

Now I rejoiced greatly in the Lord, that now once more your thoughtful attention about me hath again sprung up, to which also your mind had been disposed, but ye had not found the opportunity.