⁴ But many of those who had heard the word believed, and ^(A)the number of the men came to about five thousand.

⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and ^(A)there were added that day about three thousand souls.

^9 (A)for which I am suffering, ^(B)bound with chains as a criminal. But ^(C)the word of God is not bound! ¹⁰ Therefore ^(D)I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain ^(E)the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with ^(F)eternal glory.

The Advance of the Gospel

¹² I want you to know, brothers,^[a] that what has happened to me has really ^(A)served to advance the gospel, ¹³ so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard^[b] and ^(B)to all the rest that ^(C)my imprisonment is for Christ. ¹⁴ And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold ^(D)to speak the word^[c] without fear.

^15 (E)Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. ¹⁶ The latter do it out of love, ^(F)knowing that I am put here for ^(G)the defense of the gospel. ¹⁷ The former proclaim Christ ^(H)out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. ¹⁸ What then? Only 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,

¹⁴ But ^(A)thanks be to God, who in Christ always ^(B)leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads ^(C)the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among ^(D)those who are being saved and among ^(E)those who are perishing, ^16 (F)to one a fragrance from death to death, ^(G)to the other a fragrance from life to life. ^(H)Who is sufficient for these things? ¹⁷ For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(A)unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

²⁴ And ^(A)some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved.