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.
5 aHave this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,1 6 bwho, cthough dhe was in the form of God, edid not count fequality with God a thing to be grasped,2 7 but gemptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,3 hbeing born iin the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he jhumbled himself by becoming kobedient to the point of death, leven death on a cross. 9 mTherefore God has highly nexalted him and bestowed on him the name that is oabove every name, 10 so that at the pname of Jesus qevery knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue rconfess that sJesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 hI hope in the Lord Jesus ito send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy’s1 proven worth, how as a json2 with a father khe has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and lI trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and mfellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So nreceive him in the Lord with all joy, and ohonor such men, 30 for he pnearly died3 for the work of Christ, risking his life qto complete what was lacking in your service to me.
3 For we are the ucircumcision, who vworship by the Spirit of God1 and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the wflesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. xIf anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the yeighth day, zof the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a aHebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a bPharisee; 6 as to czeal, a dpersecutor of the church; as to erighteousness under the law,2 blameless. 7 But whatever fgain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 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.
Straining Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already qperfect, 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: rforgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 sI press on toward the goal for the tprize of the upward ucall of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are vmature think this way, and if in anything wyou think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 Brothers, xjoin in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
9 xWhat you have learned1 and yreceived and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
