³³ Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be ^(A)bound with ^(B)two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done.

²⁰ for which I am an ^(A)ambassador ^(B)in ^[a]chains—so that ^[b]in proclaiming it I may speak ^(C)boldly, ^(D)as I ought to speak.

¹³ so that my ^(A)chains in Christ have become well known throughout the whole ^[a]praetorian guard and to ^(B)everyone else, ¹⁴ and that most of the ^[b]brothers, having become confident in the Lord because of my ^(C)chains, have ^(D)far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. ^15 (E)Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even ^[c]from envy and strife, but some also ^[d]from good will; ¹⁶ the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the ^(F)gospel; ¹⁷ the former proclaim Christ ^(G)out of selfish ambition ^[e]rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me affliction in my ^(H)chains. ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that ^(I)this will turn out for my salvation ^(J)through your ^[f]prayers and the provision of ^(K)the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰ according to my ^(L)earnest expectation and ^(M)hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with ^(N)all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be ^(O)magnified in my body, ^(P)whether by life or by death.

To Live Is Christ

²¹ For to me, ^(Q)to live is Christ and to die is gain. ^22 [g]But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean ^(R)fruitful labor for me; and I do not know what I will choose. ²³ But I am hard-pressed ^[h]between the two, having the ^(S)desire to depart and ^(T)be with Christ, for that is very much better, ²⁴ yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. ^25 (U)And convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy ^[i]in the faith, ²⁶ so that your reason for ^(V)boasting may abound in Christ Jesus in me, through my coming to you again.

²⁷ Only ^[j]live your lives in a manner ^(W)worthy of the ^(X)gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about your circumstances, that you are ^(Y)standing firm in ^(Z)one spirit, with one ^[k]mind ^(AA)contending together for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸ in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a ^(AB)sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. ²⁹ For to you ^(AC)it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to ^(AD)suffer for His sake, ³⁰ having the same ^(AE)struggle which ^(AF)you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

¹⁷ the former proclaim Christ ^(A)out of selfish ambition ^[a]rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me affliction in my ^(B)chains.