Philippians 1

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants:

Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, with the Bishops and Deacons of the church:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God whenever I remember you,

I give praise to my God at every memory of you,

4 always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy,

And in all my prayers for you all, making my request with joy,

5 for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now;

Because of your help in giving the good news from the first day till now;

6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

For I am certain of this very thing, that he by whom the good work was started in you will make it complete till the day of Jesus Christ:

7 It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.

So it is right for me to take thought for you all in this way, because I have you in my heart; for in my chains, and in my arguments before the judges in support of the good news, making clear that it is true, you all have your part with me in grace.

8 For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.

For God is my witness, how my love goes out to you all in the loving mercies of Christ Jesus.

9 This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

And my prayer is that you may be increased more and more in knowledge and experience;

10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ,

So that you may give your approval to the best things; that you may be true and without wrongdoing till the day of Christ;

11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Being full of the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

12 Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News,

Now it is my purpose to make clear to you, brothers, that the cause of the good news has been helped by my experiences;

13 so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ,

So that it became clear through all the Praetorium, and to all the rest, that I was a prisoner on account of Christ;

14 and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

And most of the brothers in the Lord, taking heart because of my chains, are all the stronger to give the word of God without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.

Though some are preaching Christ out of envy and competition, others do it out of a good heart:

16 The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

These do it from love, conscious that I am responsible for the cause of the good news:

17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

But those are preaching Christ in a spirit of competition, not from their hearts, but with the purpose of giving me pain in my prison.

18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.

What then? only that in every way, falsely or truly, the preaching of Christ goes on; and in this I am glad, and will be glad.

19 For I know that this will turn out to my salvation through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

For I am conscious that this will be for my salvation, through your prayer and the giving out of the stored wealth of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.

In the measure of my strong hope and belief that in nothing will I be put to shame, but that without fear, as at all times, so now will Christ have glory in my body, by life or by death.

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

For to me life is Christ and death is profit.

22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I do not know what I will choose.

But if I go on living in the flesh — if this is the fruit of my work — then I do not see what decision to make.

23 But I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

I am in a hard position between the two, having a desire to go away and be with Christ, which is very much better:

24 Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.

Still, to go on in the flesh is more necessary because of you.

25 Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,

And being certain of this, I am conscious that I will go on, yes, and go on with you all, for your growth and joy in the faith;

26 that your boasting may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.

So that your pride in me may be increased in Christ Jesus through my being present with you again.

27 Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

Only let your behaviour do credit to the good news of Christ, so that if I come and see you or if I am away from you, I may have news of you that you are strong in one spirit, working together with one soul for the faith of the good news;

28 and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

Having no fear of those who are against you; which is a clear sign of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God;

29 Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,

Because to you it has been given in the cause of Christ not only to have faith in him, but to undergo pain on his account:

30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

Fighting the same fight which you saw in me, and now have word of in me.