Greetings from Epaphras, another member of your group and a servant of Christ Jesus. He always prays fervently for you, asking God to make you stand firm, as mature and fully convinced Christians, in complete obedience to God's will.

But by God's grace I am what I am, and the grace that he gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me.

More than anything else, however, we want to please him, whether in our home here or there.

We have been beaten, jailed, and mobbed; we have been overworked and have gone without sleep or food.

Are they Christ's servants? I sound like a madman---but I am a better servant than they are! I have worked much harder, I have been in prison more times, I have been whipped much more, and I have been near death more often.

as you offer them the message of life. If you do so, I shall have reason to be proud of you on the Day of Christ, because it will show that all my effort and work have not been wasted.

Surely you remember, our friends, how we worked and toiled! We worked day and night so that we would not be any trouble to you as we preached to you the Good News from God.

We did not accept anyone's support without paying for it. Instead, we worked and toiled; we kept working day and night so as not to be an expense to any of you.

and so I endure everything for the sake of God's chosen people, in order that they too may obtain the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus and brings eternal glory.

You are patient, you have suffered for my sake, and you have not given up.

Let me tell you how hard I have worked for you and for the people in Laodicea and for all others who do not know me personally.

"Do your best to go in through the narrow door; because many people will surely try to go in but will not be able.

My ambition has always been to proclaim the Good News in places where Christ has not been heard of, so as not to build on a foundation laid by someone else.

I urge you, friends, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that the Spirit gives: join me in praying fervently to God for me.

Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline, in order to be crowned with a wreath that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever.

I harden my body with blows and bring it under complete control, to keep myself from being disqualified after having called others to the contest.

Now, the important thing is that your way of life should be as the gospel of Christ requires, so that, whether or not I am able to go and see you, I will hear that you are standing firm with one common purpose and that with only one desire you are fighting together for the faith of the gospel.

Now you can take part with me in the battle. It is the same battle you saw me fighting in the past, and as you hear, the one I am fighting still.

For in your struggle against sin you have not yet had to resist to the point of being killed.

There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to all for their particular service.

But it is one and the same Spirit who does all this; as he wishes, he gives a different gift to each person.

and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength

I was made a servant of the gospel by God's special gift, which he gave me through the working of his power.

To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of:

because God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose.

(SEE 13:20)

But his answer was: "My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak." I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me.

I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

You will have all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. When he deals with you, he is not weak; instead, he shows his power among you.