< 腓立比書 1 >

1 基督耶穌的僕人保祿和弟茂德,致書給斐理伯的眾位在基督內的聖徒、監督及執事;
PAUL and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 願恩寵與平安由天主的父和主耶穌基督賜與你們!
grace be unto you and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 我一想起你們,就感謝我的天主;
I give thanks to my God on every remembrance of you,
4 我每次祈禱,總懷著喜悅為你們眾位祈禱,
always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy,
5 因為你們從最初的一天直到現在,就協助了宣傳福音的工作;
for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day even until now;
6 我深信,在你們內開始這美好工作的那位,必予以完成,直到耶穌基督的日子。
being confident of this very thing, that he who hath wrought in you the good work will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7 我這樣想念你們眾人,是理當的,因為我在心內常懷念你們,不論我帶鎖鏈,或辯護或確證福音時,你們常參與了我受的恩寵。
as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I bear you on my heart, both in my bonds and in my defence and the confirmation of the gospel, as being all of you sharers in my grace.
8 天主為我作證:我是怎樣以基督耶穌的情懷愛你們眾人。
For God is my witness, how earnestly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
9 我所祈求的是:願你們的愛德日漸增長,渥真知識和各種識見,
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all understanding;
10 使你們能辨別卓絕之事,為叫你們直到基督的日子,常潔淨無瑕的,
that ye may prove the things that are excellent, in order that ye may be sincere and without offence unto the day of Christ;
11 賴耶穌基督滿結義德的果實,為光榮讚美天主。
filled with fruits of righteousness, which by Jesus Christ are to the glory and praise of God.
12 弟兄們! 我願意告訴你們, 我的環境對於福音的進展反而有了益處,
Now I wish you, brethren, to know, that the things which have befallen me have rather conduced to the progress of the gospel;
13 以致御營全軍和其餘眾人都明明知道,我帶鎖鏈是為基督的緣故;
so that my bonds are manifest in Christ through the whole palace, and all other places;
14 並且大多數的弟兄,因我帶鎖槤,就更依靠主,更敢講論天主的道理,一點也不害怕。
and very many of our brethren in the Lord, assuming confidence from my chains, are more abundantly bold, fearlessly to preach the word.
15 有些人宣講基督,固然是出於嫉忌和競爭,有些人人卻是出於善意;
Some indeed do it in a spirit of envy and strife; but some also preach Christ with cordial good-will:
16 這些出愛的人,知道我是被立為護衛福音的;
the one indeed preach Christ out of contention, not with purity of intention, thinking to add affliction to my bonds:
17 那些出於私見宣傳基督的人,目的不純正,想要給我的鎖鏈更增添煩惱。
but the others of love, knowing that I am exposed for the defence of the gospel.
18 那有什麼妨礙呢﹖無論如何,或是假意,或是誠心,終究是宣傳了基督。為此,如今我喜歡,將來我仍然要喜歡,
What then? if Christ is preached in whatever manner it be, whether in pretext or reality, even in this do I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 因為我知道,賴你們的祈禱和耶穌基督的聖神的輔助, 這事必有利於我的得救。
For I know that this shall issue in my salvation through your prayers, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 按照我所熱切期待希望的,我在任何事上必不會蒙羞所以現在和將來一樣,我反而放心大膽,我或生或死,總要叫基督在我身上受頌揚。
according to my firm expectation and hope, that I shall be confounded by no event, but that with all boldness, as always hitherto, Christ shall now also be magnified in my body, whether by my life or death.
21 因為在我看來,生活原是基督,死亡乃是利益。
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 如果生活在肉身內,我還能獲得工作的效果:我現在揀選那一樣,我自己也不知道。
But if it be his will, that I should live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my travail: and what to chuse I know not.
23 我正夾在兩之間:我渴望求解脫而與基督在一起:這實在是再好沒有了;
For I am in a strait between the two, having an earnest longing to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, for this is far, far better:
24 但存留在肉身內,對你們卻十分重要。
but to abide in the flesh may be more necessary for you.
25 我確信不疑:知道我必要存留,且必要為你們眾人存留於世, 為使你們在信德上,得到進展和喜樂,
And being so persuaded, I know that I shall stay and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith;
26 並使你們因我再來到你們中,同我在基督耶穌內更加歡躍。
that your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus for me by my coming again unto you.
27 你們生活度日只應合乎基督的福音,好叫我或來看望你們,或不在時,聽到關於你們的事,知道你們仍保時同一的精神, 一心一意為福音的信仰共同奮鬥,
Only conduct yourselves worthily as becometh the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul wrestling together in the faith of the gospel;
28 一點也不為敵人所嚇住:這樣證明了他們必將喪亡,你們必將得救,因為這是出於天主,
and not dismayed on any occasion by your adversaries; which is indeed the proof of perdition to them, but of salvation to you, and that from God.
29 因為,為了基督的緣故, 賜給你們的恩賜,不但是為相信祂, 而且也是為祂受苦:
For this favour on the part of Christ is granted you, not only that ye should believe on him, but also that ye should suffer for his sake;
30 就是要遭受你們曾在我身上所見的,及如今由我所聽到的同樣的決鬥。
experiencing the same conflict which ye have seen in me, and now hear to be in me.

< 腓立比書 1 >