1:12 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, 1 that my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel: 2 1:13 The 3 whole imperial guard 4 and everyone else knows 5 that I am in prison 6 for the sake of Christ, 1:14 and most of the brothers and sisters, 7 having confidence in the Lord 8 because of my imprisonment, now more than ever 9 dare to speak the word 10 fearlessly.
1:15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. 1:16 The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel. 1:17 The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment. 11 1:18 What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.
Yes, 12 and I will continue to rejoice, 1:19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance 13 through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 1:20 My confident hope 14 is that I will in no way be ashamed 15 but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die. 16
1 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
2 tn Grk “for the advance of the gospel.” The genitive εὐαγγελίου (euangeliou) is taken as objective.
3 tn Grk “so that the whole imperial guard.” The ὥστε (Jwste) clause that begins v. 13 indicates two results of the spread of the gospel: Outsiders know why Paul is imprisoned (v. 13) and believers are emboldened by his imprisonment (v. 14).
4 sn The whole imperial guard (Grk “praetorium”) can refer to the elite troops stationed in Rome or the headquarters of administrators in the provinces (cf. Matt 27:27; Mark 15:16; John 18:28, 33; 19:9; Acts 23:35). In either case a metonymy is involved, with the place (the praetorium) put for those (soldiers or government officials) who were connected with it or stationed in it.
5 tn Grk “it has become known by the whole imperial guard and all the rest.”
6 tn Grk “my bonds [are].”
7 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.
8 tn Or “most of the brothers and sisters in the Lord, having confidence.”
9 tn Grk “even more so.”
10 tc A number of significant
11 tn Grk “thinking to cause trouble to my bonds.”
12 tn Or “But.” The conjunction ἀλλά (alla) may be emphatic or contrastive. If the former, the idea may be that Paul will continue rejoicing because of the proclamation of the gospel or because of his imminent release from prison (v. 19); if the latter, Paul is now turning his attention solely to this second reason to rejoice, viz., that he will soon be released from prison. In this latter view the clause should be translated, “But I will also rejoice since I know…”
13 tn Or “salvation.” Deliverance from prison (i.e., release) is probably what Paul has in view here, although some take this as a reference to his ultimate release from the body, i.e., dying and being with Christ (v. 23).
sn The phrase this will turn out for my deliverance may be an echo of Job 13:16 (LXX).
14 tn Grk “according to my eager expectation and hope.” The κατά (kata) phrase is taken as governing the following ὅτι (Joti) clause (“that I will not be ashamed…”); the idea could be expressed more verbally as “I confidently hope that I will not be ashamed…”
15 tn Or possibly, “be intimidated, be put to shame.”
16 tn Grk “whether by life or by death.”