11 To the present hour ^hwe hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 12 and we ⁱlabor, working with our own hands. ^jWhen reviled, ^kwe bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

8 ^eWe are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 ^falways carrying in the body the death of Jesus, ^gso that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies.

3 We put no ^yobstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God ^zwe commend ourselves in every way: ^aby great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the ^bpower of God; with the ^cweapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as ^ddying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet ^ealways rejoicing; as poor, yet making many ^frich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

The Advance of the Gospel

12 I want you to know, brothers,¹ that what has happened to me ^rhas really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known ^sthroughout the whole imperial guard² and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word³ without fear.

15 ^tSome indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? ^uOnly that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that ^vthrough your prayers and the help of the ^wSpirit of Jesus Christ ^xthis will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and ^yhope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full ^zcourage now as always Christ will be ^ahonored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 ^bFor to me to live is Christ, and to die is ^cgain. 22 ^dIf I am to live in the flesh, that means ^efruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. ^fMy desire is to ^gdepart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 ^hConvinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your ⁱprogress and joy in the faith, 26 so that ^jin me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

27 Only ^klet your manner of life be worthy⁴ of the gospel of Christ, so that ^lwhether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are ^mstanding firm in one spirit, ⁿwith one mind ^ostriving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a ^pclear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For ^qit has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict ^rthat you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

8 Indeed, ^gI count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. ^hFor his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a ⁱrighteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^jthat which comes through ^kfaith in Christ, the ^lrighteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the ^mpower of his resurrection, and may ⁿshare his sufferings, ^obecoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may ^pattain the resurrection from the dead.