Ministry as a Prisoner

12  I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel: 13  The whole imperial guard and everyone else knows that I am in prison for the sake of Christ, 14  and most of the brothers and sisters, having confidence in the Lord because of my imprisonment, now more than ever dare to speak the word fearlessly.

15  Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. 16  The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel. 17  The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment. 18  What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19  for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 20  My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die. 21  For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22  Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer: 23  I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, 24  but it is more vital for your sake that I remain in the body. 25  And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith, 26  so that what you can be proud of may increase because of me in Christ Jesus, when I come back to you.

27  Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that – whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent – I should hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28  and by not being intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of their destruction, but of your salvation – a sign which is from God. 29  For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him, 30  since you are encountering the same conflict that you saw me face and now hear that I am facing.

2  Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy, 2  complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose. 3  Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. 4  Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. 5  You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, 6 

who though he existed in the form of God

did not regard equality with God

as something to be grasped,

7  but emptied himself

by taking on the form of a slave,

by looking like other men,

and by sharing in human nature.

8  He humbled himself,

by becoming obedient to the point of death

– even death on a cross!

9  As a result God exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

10  so that at the name of Jesus

every knee will bow

– in heaven and on earth and under the earth –

11  and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord

to the glory of God the Father.