1:4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
1:5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
1:7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.
1:8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
1:9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
1:10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
1:11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.
1:12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.
1:13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
1:14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
1:15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
1:16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defence of the gospel.
1:17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
1:18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
1:19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
1:20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted 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 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!
1:23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
1:24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
1:25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,
1:26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
1:27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel
1:28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved – and that by God.
1:29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,
1:30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
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