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As for me, it is nearly time for me to die. My death will be like a drink offering that they pour out to God. My life as God's servant will end.[a] I have worked to serve Christ well. I have finished everything that God wanted me to do. I am like a runner who has run to the end of the race. I have continued to believe God's true message. So now a gift is waiting for me. The Lord will make me completely right with him. That will be like a crown which the Lord will give me on that great day when he judges people. He is the judge who is fair and right. He will not only give that gift to me. He will give it to all those people who love him. They will be happy to see him when he comes again.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 4:6 When the Israelites worshipped God, they offered gifts to him. These gifts included wine. They poured out the wine as a drink offering to God. See Numbers 15:5-10; 28:7. Paul is saying that he himself is like the drink offering. His life on earth will soon end. He has lived to serve God, and now he is ready to die for God.
  2. 4:8 At that time, people often gave a crown to somebody who had won a race. So Paul is using the crown as a picture of what God will give his people. God will give a gift to everyone who really belongs to Christ. That gift is that we will be completely right and happy as we will live with him for ever.