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For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
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And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
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that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
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being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
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But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,
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so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;
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and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
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Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from good will:
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The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;
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but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
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What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.