2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those ^lwho seemed influential) the gospel that ^mI proclaim among the Gentiles, ⁿin order to make sure I was not running or had not ^orun in vain.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives ^sthe prize? So ^trun that you may obtain it. 25 Every ^uathlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we ^van imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I ^wdo not box as one ^xbeating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and ^ykeep it under control,¹ lest after preaching to others ^zI myself should be ^adisqualified.

16 holding fast to ^qthe word of life, so that in ^rthe day of Christ ^sI may be proud that ^tI did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Straining Toward the Goal

12 Not that I have already ^lobtained this or ^mam already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: ⁿforgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for ^othe prize of the upward ^pcall of God in Christ Jesus.

29 For this ^vI toil, ^wstruggling ^xwith all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

1 For I want you to know ^yhow great a ^wstruggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,