1:4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,
1:5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,
1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
1:7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.
1:8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
1:10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
1:11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
1:12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,
1:13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;
1:14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill:
1:16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;
1:17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
1:18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
1:19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
1:20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
1:22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.
1:23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
1:24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
1:25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith,
1:26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.
1:27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,
1:28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.
1:29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
1:30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
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