⁵because of your partnershipⁱ in the gospel from the first day^j until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion^k until the day of Christ Jesus.^l

⁷It is right^m for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heartⁿ and, whether I am in chains^o or defending^p and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸God can testify^q how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹And this is my prayer: that your love^r may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^s ¹⁰so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,^t ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness^u that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

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

¹⁵It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.^y ¹⁷The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,^z not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.^a ¹⁸But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

Read in Logos

Philippians 1:6: And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Footnotes

bThe Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 14; and in 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21.
cOr whole palace

Cross references

i Ac 2:42; Php 4:15
j Ac 16:12–40
k Ps 138:8
lver 10; See 1 Co 1:8
m 2 Pe 1:13
n 2 Co 7:3
over 13, 14, 17; See Ac 21:33
pver 16
qSee Ro 1:9
r 1 Th 3:12
sSee Eph 1:17
tver 6; See 1 Co 1:8
uSee Jas 3:18
vver 7, 14, 17; See Ac 21:33
wver 7, 13, 17; See Ac 21:33
xSee Ac 4:29
yver 7, 12
z Php 2:3
aver 7, 13, 14; See Ac 21:33