always in my every prayer for all of you, making the prayer with joy,

just as it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, [since] both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you are sharers of grace with me.

For God [is] my witness, that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Now I want you to know, brothers, that {my circumstances} have happened instead for the progress of the gospel,

and most of the brothers, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, dare [even] more to speak the word without fear.

The latter [do so] from love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

for I know that this will turn out to me for deliverance through your prayer and the support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

For to me to live [is] Christ and to die [is] gain.

But if [it is] to live in the flesh, this [is] fruitful work for me, and which I will prefer [I do] not know.

But I am hard pressed {between the two options}, having the desire to depart and to be with Christ, {for this is very much better}.

But to stay on in the flesh [is] more necessary for your sake.

And because I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

Only lead your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent I hear {your circumstances}, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,

each of you not looking out for {your own interests}, but also each of you [for] {the interests} of others.

Therefore my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

For the one at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure, is God.

holding fast to the word of life, for a source of pride to me in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

For I have no one like-minded who [will] sincerely be concerned about {your circumstances}.

For they all seek {their own interests}, not those of Jesus Christ.

But you know his proven character, that like a child with a father he served with me for the gospel.

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

For indeed he was sick, coming near to death, but God had mercy on him and not [on] him only, but also [on] me, so that I would not have grief upon grief.

because on account of the work of Christ he came near to the point of death, risking his life in order that {he might make up for your inability to serve me}.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same [things] to you [is] not troublesome to me, but [is] a safeguard for you.

For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and do not [put] confidence in the flesh,

{More than that}, even consider all [things] to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all [things], and consider [them] dung, in order that I may gain Christ

Not that I have already received [this], or [have] already been made perfect, but I press on if indeed I may lay hold of [that] for which also I was laid hold of by Christ.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

For many live, of whom I spoke about to you many times, but now speak about even weeping, [as] the enemies of the cross of Christ,

For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last {you have renewed your concern for me}, for whom also you were thinking, but you had no opportunity [to express it].

Not that I speak from need, for I have learned to be content in whatever [circumstances] I am.

because even in Thessalonica {on more than one occasion} you sent for my need.

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek for the profit that increases to your account.