The jealous ones are preaching about Christ out of selfish ambition; they’re not doing it sincerely. They think they can create trouble for me while I’m being held in chains.
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.
I was appointed to be a messenger and an apostle to preach the good news. (I’m telling the truth; I’m not lying.) God appointed me to be a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.
But what does it matter? The important thing is that whether for good reasons or bad ones, Christ is being preached. And that makes me very glad. And I’ll continue to be glad,