Philippians 1

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

Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Christ Jesus: To all God's people in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the ministers of the Church and their assistants.

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

May grace and peace be granted to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God whenever I remember you,

I thank my God at my every remembrance of you--

4 always in every prayer of mine for all of you, making my requests with joy,

always when offering any prayer on behalf of you all, finding a joy in offering it.

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

I thank my God, I say, for your cooperation in spreading the Good News, from the time it first came to you even until now.

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

For of this I am confident, that He who has begun a good work within you will go on to perfect it in preparation for the day of Jesus Christ.

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

And I am justified in having this confidence about you all, because, both during my imprisonment and when I stand up in defence of the Good News or to confirm its truth, I have you in my heart, sharers as you all are in the same grace as myself.

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 I yearn over all of you with tender Christian affection.

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

And it is my prayer that your love may be more and more accompanied by clear knowledge and keen perception, for testing things that differ,

10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be pure and blameless for the Day of Christ;

so that you may be men of transparent character, and may be blameless, in preparation for the day of Christ,

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

being filled with these fruits of righteousness which come 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 I would have you know, brethren, that what I have gone through has turned out to the furtherance of the Good News rather than otherwise.

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

And thus it has become notorious among all the Imperial Guards, and everywhere, that it is for the sake of Christ that I am a prisoner;

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

and the greater part of the brethren, made confident in the Lord through my imprisonment, now speak of God's Message without fear, more boldly than ever.

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

Some indeed actually preach Christ out of envy and contentiousness but there are also others who do it from good will.

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

These latter preach Him from love to me, knowing that I am here for the defence of the Good News;

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

while the others proclaim Him from motives of rivalry, and insincerely, supposing that by this they are embittering my imprisonment.

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

What does it matter, however? In any case Christ is preached--either perversely or in honest truth; and in that I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance, through your petition and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

For I know that it will result in my salvation through your prayers and a bountiful supply 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 fulfilment of my eager expectation and hope that I shall never have reason to feel ashamed, but that by my perfect freedom of speech Christ will be glorified in me, now as always, either by my life or by my death.

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

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

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

But since to live means a longer stay on earth, that implies more labour for me--and not unsuccessful labour; and which I am to choose I cannot tell.

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

I am in a dilemma, my earnest desire being to depart and be with Christ, for that is far, far better.

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

But for your sakes it is more important that I should still remain in the body.

25 And since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

I am convinced of this, and I know that I shall remain, and shall go on working side by side with you all, to promote your progress and joy in the faith;

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

so that, as Christians, you may have additional reason for glorying about me as the result of my being with you again.

27 Only let your manner 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 the lives you live be worthy of the Good News of the Christ, in order that, whether I come and see you or, being absent, only hear of you, I may know that you are standing fast in one spirit and with one mind, fighting shoulder to shoulder 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.

Never for a moment quail before your antagonists. Your fearlessness will be to them a sure token of impending destruction, but to you it will be a sure token of your salvation--a token coming 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,

For you have had the privilege granted you on behalf of Christ--not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on His behalf;

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

maintaining, as you do, the same kind of conflict that you once saw in me and which you still hear that I am engaged in.