¹³ I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

¹³ And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.^(A)

Paul’s Labor for the Church

²⁴ Now I rejoice^(A) in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,^(B) for the sake of his body, which is the church.^(C)

⁶ If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation;^(A) if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

¹² Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³ As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard^[b] and to everyone else that I am in chains^(A) for Christ. ¹⁴ And because of my chains,^(B) most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.^(C)

God’s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles

3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner^(A) of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary^(A) and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.^{(B) 5} And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good,^(A) for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.^(B)