6. I’m convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus.
7. You have a special place in my heart. So it’s right for me to think this way about all of you. All of you are my partners. Together we share God’s favor, whether I’m in prison or defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.
8. God is my witness that, with all the compassion of Christ Jesus, I long ⌊to see⌋ every one of you.
9. I pray that your love will keep on growing because of your knowledge and insight.
10. That way you will be able to determine what is best and be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.
11. Jesus Christ will fill your lives with everything that God’s approval produces. Your lives will then bring glory and praise to God.
12. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what happened to me has helped to spread the Good News.
13. As a result, it has become clear to all the soldiers who guard the emperor and to everyone else that I am in prison because of Christ.
14. So through my being in prison, the Lord has given most of our brothers and sisters confidence to speak God’s word more boldly and fearlessly than ever.
15. Some people tell the message about Christ because of their jealousy and envy. Others tell the message about him because of their good will.
16. Those who tell the message about Christ out of love know that God has put me here to defend the Good News.
17. But the others are insincere. They tell the message about Christ out of selfish ambition in order to stir up trouble for me while I’m in prison.
18. But what does it matter? Nothing matters except that, in one way or another, people are told the message about Christ, whether with honest or dishonest motives, and I’m happy about that.Yes, I will continue to be happy