Study Desk

so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.

The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.

I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.

For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.

for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—

though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ