It’s right for me to feel this way about all of you. You have a special place in my heart. Whether I’m being held in chains or standing up for the truth of the good news, either way, all of you share together in God’s grace with me.
“Whether it takes a short time or a long time,” Paul replied, “I pray to God that you and everyone listening to me today may become like me—except for these chains!”
May the Lord show mercy to all who live in the house of Onesiphorus. He has often encouraged me. He wasn’t ashamed of me, even though I was being held in chains.
Earlier, in the city of Philippi, we suffered and the people treated us very badly, as you also know. But God still gave us the boldness to tell you his good news, even when people strongly opposed us.
I truly expect and hope that I won’t be ashamed in any way, but that I’ll be brave enough so that now as always, Christ will be honored in my body, whether I live or die.
He proclaimed the kingdom of God boldly and taught people about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one kept him from teaching and preaching about those things.
Dear friends, I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share. But I felt that I had to write and urge you to stand up for the faith that God’s holy people have been trusted with once and for all time.