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)

⁶ Even if I should choose to boast,^(A) I would not be a fool,^(B) because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations.^(C) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(D) a messenger of Satan,^(E) to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.^{(F) 9} But he said to me, “My grace^(G) is sufficient for you, for my power^(H) is made perfect in weakness.^(I)”^(J) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight^(K) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,^(L) in persecutions,^(M) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(N)