⁶ For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work ^[a]among you will complete it ^[b]by ^(A)the day of Christ Jesus.

⁹ And this I pray, that ^(A)your love may overflow still more and more in ^(B)real knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may ^[a](C)discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for ^(D)the day of Christ; ¹¹ having been filled with the ^(E)fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.

The Gospel Is Preached

¹² Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances ^(F)have turned out for the greater progress of the ^(G)gospel, ¹³ so that my ^[b](H)imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the ^[c]praetorian guard and to ^(I)everyone else, ¹⁴ and that most of the brothers and sisters, ^[d]trusting in the Lord because of my ^[e](J)imprisonment, have ^(K)far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. ^15 (L)Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even ^[f]from envy and strife, but some also ^[g]from goodwill; ¹⁶ the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the ^(M)gospel; ¹⁷ the former proclaim Christ ^(N)out of selfish ambition ^[h]rather than from pure motives, thinking that they are causing me distress in my ^[i](O)imprisonment. ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.

But not only that, I also will rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that this will turn out for my ^[j]deliverance ^(P)through your ^[k]prayers and the provision of ^(Q)the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰ according to my ^(R)eager expectation and ^(S)hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with ^(T)all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be ^(U)exalted in my body, ^(V)whether by life or by death.

To Live Is Christ

²¹ For to me, ^(W)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ^22 [l]But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean ^(X)fruitful labor for me; and I do not know ^[m]which to choose. ²³ But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the ^(Y)desire to depart and ^(Z)be with Christ, for that is very much better; ²⁴ yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes. ^25 (AA)Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy ^[n]in the faith, ²⁶ so that your ^(AB)pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again.

²⁷ Only conduct yourselves in a manner ^(AC)worthy of the ^(AD)gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are ^(AE)standing firm in ^(AF)one spirit, with one ^[o]mind ^(AG)striving together for the faith of the gospel; ²⁸ and in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a ^(AH)sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and this too, from God. ²⁹ For to you ^(AI)it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to ^(AJ)suffer on His behalf, ³⁰ experiencing the same ^(AK)conflict which ^(AL)you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Be like Christ

2 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any ^(A)fellowship of the Spirit, if any ^[a](B)affection and compassion, ^2 (C)make my joy complete ^[b]by ^(D)being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. ³ Do nothing ^[c]from ^[d](E)selfishness or ^(F)empty conceit, but with humility ^(G)consider one another as more important than yourselves; ^4 (H)do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ^5 (I)Have this attitude ^[e]in yourselves which was also in ^(J)Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, as He already ^(K)existed in the ^(L)form of God, ^(M)did not consider equality with God something to be ^[f]grasped, ⁷ but ^[g](N)emptied Himself by taking the form of a ^(O)bond-servant and ^[h](P)being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, ^(Q)He humbled Himself by becoming ^(R)obedient to the point of death: ^(S)death ^[i]on a cross. ^9 (T)For this reason also God ^(U)highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him ^(V)the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus ^(W)every knee will bow, of ^(X)those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is ^(Y)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹² So then, my beloved, ^(Z)just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own ^(AA)salvation with ^(AB)fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is ^(AC)God who is at work in you, both to ^[j]desire and to work ^(AD)for His good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things without ^(AE)complaining or arguments; ¹⁵ so that you will ^[k]prove yourselves to be ^(AF)blameless and innocent, ^(AG)children of God above reproach in the midst of a ^(AH)crooked and perverse generation, among whom you ^[l](AI)appear as ^[m]lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding firmly the word of life, so that on ^(AJ)the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not ^(AK)run in vain nor ^(AL)labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being ^(AM)poured out as a drink offering upon ^(AN)the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. ¹⁸ You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

¹⁴ Do all things without ^(A)complaining or arguments; ¹⁵ so that you will ^[a]prove yourselves to be ^(B)blameless and innocent, ^(C)children of God above reproach in the midst of a ^(D)crooked and perverse generation, among whom you ^[b](E)appear as ^[c]lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding firmly the word of life, so that on ^(F)the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not ^(G)run in vain nor ^(H)labor in vain.

Dedicated Service

12 Therefore ^(A)I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to ^(B)present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, ^[a]acceptable to God, which is your ^[b]spiritual service of worship. ² And do not ^(C)be conformed to ^(D)this ^[c]world, but be transformed by the ^(E)renewing of your mind, so that you may ^[d](F)prove what the will of God is, that which is good and ^[e]acceptable and perfect.

³ For through ^(G)the grace given to me I say to everyone among you ^(H)not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to ^(I)each a measure of faith.

Christian Order

11 ^(A)Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.