because of your participation ¹  in the gospel from the first day until now. ² 

so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,

For I am sure of this very thing, ¹  that the one ²  who began a good work in ³  you will perfect it ⁴  until the day of Christ Jesus.

I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. ¹ 

by holding on to ¹  the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.

Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. ¹