Unity in the Body of Christ
1 mI therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to nwalk oin a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with ppatience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the qbond of peace. 4 There is rone body and sone Spirit—just as you were called to tthe one hope that belongs to your call— 5 uone Lord, vone faith, wone baptism, 6 xone God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
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.
