9. And do what you learned and received from me—what I told you and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you.
10. I am so happy, and I thank the Lord that you have again shown your care for me. You continued to care about me, but there was no way for you to show it.
11. I am telling you this, but not because I need something. I have learned to be satisfied with what I have and with whatever happens.
12. I know how to live when I am poor and when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of how to live through any kind of situation—when I have enough to eat or when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I have nothing.
13. Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do.
14. But it was good that you helped me when I needed help.
15. You people in Philippi remember when I first told the Good News there. When I left Macedonia, you were the only church that gave me help.
16. Several times you sent me things I needed when I was in Thessalonica.
17. Really, it is not that I want to get gifts from you. But I want you to have the benefit that comes from giving.