Now I, Paul, myself appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who face to face [am] lowly among you, but when I am away am bold toward you.

Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

for the sake of which I serve as an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I must speak.

But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and they will persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers on account of My name.

And the commander, approaching, took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he was inquiring who he might be and what he had done.

And Paul said, "I would pray to God, both in a short time and a long time, not only you, but also all who are hearing me today, would become such as I am, except for these chains."

And it came to pass after three days that Paul called together those who were prominent among the Jews; and when they had come together, he said to them: "Men, brothers, though I have done nothing against the people or the customs of our forefathers, yet I was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem, into the hands of the Romans,

But when the Jews spoke in opposition, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation.

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I [am] even more: in labors far more, in beatings immeasurably, in imprisonments far more, in deaths often.

just as it is right for me to think this concerning you all, because I have you in my heart, both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.

so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;

Some indeed are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will:

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for His body, which is the church,

praying at the same time also for us, that God would open a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, because of which I am also in chains,

This greeting [is] by my [own] hand--Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but endure hardship with the gospel according to the power of God,

May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me, and he was not ashamed of my chain;

in which I endure hardship unto chains as an evildoer; but the word of God is not chained.

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved and fellow worker,

rather on account of love I appeal to you--being such a one as Paul, the elder, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ--

Fear none of those things which you are about to suffer. Behold indeed, the devil is about to cast [some] of you into prison, so that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

And I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been done away with.

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for His body, which is the church,

who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are against all men,

forbidding us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved, so as always to fill up [the measure of] their sins; but the wrath [of God] has come upon them to the uttermost.

Because of this, I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.