Study Desk

How I wish I were with you now, so that I could take a different attitude toward you. I am so worried about you!

But as for me, my friends, if I continue to preach that circumcision is necessary, why am I still being persecuted? If that were true, then my preaching about the cross of Christ would cause no trouble.

As for me, however, I will boast only about the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; for by means of his cross the world is dead to me, and I am dead to the world.

To conclude: let no one give me any more trouble, because the scars I have on my body show that I am the slave of Jesus.

I am less than the least of all God's people; yet God gave me this privilege of taking to the Gentiles the Good News about the infinite riches of Christ,

I beg you, then, not to be discouraged because I am suffering for you; it is all for your benefit.

I urge you, then—I who am a prisoner because I serve the Lord: live a life that measures up to the standard God set when he called you.

And pray also for me, that God will give me a message when I am ready to speak, so that I may speak boldly and make known the gospel's secret.

For the sake of this gospel I am an ambassador, though now I am in prison. Pray that I may be bold in speaking about the gospel as I should.

Tychicus, our dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord's work, will give you all the news about me, so that you may know how I am getting along.

That is why I am sending him to you—to tell you how all of us are getting along and to encourage you.

And so I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus.

You are always in my heart! And so it is only right for me to feel as I do about you. For you have all shared with me in this privilege that God has given me, both now that I am in prison and also while I was free to defend the gospel and establish it firmly.

As a result, the whole palace guard and all the others here know that I am in prison because I am a servant of Christ.

The others do not proclaim Christ sincerely, but from a spirit of selfish ambition; they think that they will make more trouble for me while I am in prison.

It does not matter! I am happy about it—just so Christ is preached in every way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to be happy,

But if by continuing to live I can do more worthwhile work, then I am not sure which I should choose.

I am pulled in two directions. I want very much to leave this life and be with Christ, which is a far better thing;

I am sure of this, and so I know that I will stay. I will stay on with you all, to add to your progress and joy in the faith,

so that when I am with you again, you will have even more reason to be proud of me in your life in union with Christ Jesus.