Philippians 1
1 PAUL and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
To all Christ’s people at Philippi, with the supervisors and assistants, from Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you, and give you peace.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Every recollection that I have of you is a cause of thanksgiving to God,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
always, in every prayer that I offer for you all – my prayers are full of joy –
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
because of the share that you have had in spreading the good news, from the first day that you received it until now.
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
For of this I am confident, that he who began a good work in you will complete it in readiness for the day of Jesus Christ.
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
And, indeed, I am justified in feeling like this about you all; because you have a warm place in my heart – you who all, both in my imprisonment and in the work of defending and establishing the good news, shared my privilege with me.
8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
God will bear me witness how I yearn for you all with the tenderness of Christ Jesus.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
And what I pray for is this – that your love may grow yet stronger and stronger, with increasing knowledge and all discernment,
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
until you are able to appreciate all moral distinctions. And I pray, too, that you may be kept pure and blameless against the day of Christ,
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
bearing a rich harvest of that righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
Friends, I want you to realize that what has happened to me has actually served to forward the good news.
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
It has even become evident, not only to all the imperial guard, but to everyone else, that it is for Christ’s sake that I am in chains.
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
And besides this, most of our fellow followers have gained confidence in the Lord through my chains, and now venture with far greater freedom to speak of God’s message fearlessly.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
It is true that some do proclaim the Christ out of jealousy and opposition, but there are others who proclaim him from goodwill.
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
The latter do it from love for me, knowing that I have been appointed to plead the cause of the good news.
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
The former spread the news of the Christ in a factious spirit, and not sincerely, thinking to add to the pain of my chains.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
But what of that? Only that in some way or other, either with assumed or with real earnestness, Christ is being made known; and at that I rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that, through your prayers and through a rich supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, all this will make for my salvation.
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
And this will fulfill my earnest expectation and hope that I will have no cause for shame, but that, with unfailing courage, now as before, Christ will be honored in my body, whether by my life or by my death,
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
for to me life is Christ, and death is gain.
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
But what if the life here in the body – if this brings me fruit from my labors? Then which to choose I cannot tell! I am sorely perplexed either way!
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
My own desire is to depart and be with Christ, for this would be far better.
24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
But, for your sakes, it may be more needful that I should still remain here in the body.
25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
Yes, I am confident that this is so, and therefore I am sure that I will stay, and stay near you all, to promote your progress and joy in the faith;
26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
so that, when you once more have me among you, you, in your union with Christ Jesus, may find in me fresh cause for exultation.
27 Only let your conversation be as it 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 mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Under all circumstances let your lives be worthy of the good news of the Christ: so that, whether I come and see you, or whether I hear of your affairs at a distance, I may know that you are standing firm, animated by one spirit, and joining with one heart in a common struggle for the faith taught by the good news,
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
without ever shrinking from your opponents. To them this will be a sign of their destruction and of your salvation – a sign from God.
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
For, on behalf of Christ, you have had the privilege granted you, not only of trusting in him, but also of suffering on his behalf.
30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
You will be engaged in the same hard struggle as that which you once saw me waging, and which you hear that I am waging still.
