Philippians 1

1 To all Christ’s people at Philippi, with the supervisors and assistants, from Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.

Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, and to the elders and deacons.

2 May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you, and give you peace.

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

3 Every recollection that I have of you is a cause of thanksgiving to God,

Upon every remembrance of you I am ever thanking my God for you all;

4 always, in every prayer that I offer for you all – my prayers are full of joy –

in every petition of mine in your behalf I am offering my prayer with joy for your fellowship in forwarding the gospel,

5 because of the share that you have had in spreading the good news, from the first day that you received it until now.

from the first day you heard it until now.

6 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.

Of this I am fully persuaded, that He who has begun a good work in you will go on completing it until the day of Jesus Christ.

7 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.

It is but just that I should be thus mindful of you all, because I have you in my heart, and because in these fetters of mine and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel you are all my fellow partners in the privilege.

8 God will bear me witness how I yearn for you all with the tenderness of Christ Jesus.

God is my witness how I yearn for you all in the tenderness of Christ Jesus.

9 And what I pray for is this – that your love may grow yet stronger and stronger, with increasing knowledge and all discernment,

And it is my prayer that your love may abound yet more and more in intelligence and insight

10 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,

for testing things that differ, so that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,

11 bearing a rich harvest of that righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

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

12 Friends, I want you to realise that what has happened to me has actually served to forward the good news.

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has turned out rather to help than to the hindrance of the gospel.

13 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.

Throughout the whole Praetorian guard and among all the others it has become plain that these chains of mine are for the sake of Christ;

14 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.

and most of the brothers in the Lord, made confident in the Lord through my imprisonment, are much emboldened to speak God’s message with free and fearless confidence.

15 It is true that some do proclaim the Christ out of jealousy and opposition, but there are others who proclaim him from goodwill.

Some indeed are preaching Christ out of envy and contentiousness, but others from good-will.

16 The latter do it from love for me, knowing that I have been appointed to plead the cause of the good news.

but the former preach Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely, because they think they are adding bitterness to my bonds.

17 The former spread the news of the Christ in a factious spirit, and not sincerely, thinking to add to the pain of my chains.

These latter out of their love, because they know that I am set here for the defense of the gospel;

18 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.

What of it? In any case, whether in pretence or in honest truth, Christ is still preached, and in that I am rejoicing, yes, and will rejoice.

19 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.

For I know that these things will turn out to my salvation through your prayers and a rich supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

20 And this will fulfil my earnest expectation and hope that I will have no cause for shame, but that, with unfailing courage, now as before, Christ will be honoured in my body, whether by my life or by my death,

So it is my keen expectation and hope that I shall never feel ashamed, but that with fearless courage, now as hither to, Christ may be magnified in my body, whether by my life or by my death.

21 for to me life is Christ, and death is gain.

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

22 But what if the life here in the body – if this brings me fruit from my labours? Then which to choose I cannot tell! I am sorely perplexed either way!

But now, if life in the flesh, if this be the fruit of my toil - what to choose I do not know,

23 My own desire is to depart and be with Christ, for this would be far better.

but am in a quandary between the two. I am perplexed. I have a strong desire to break camp and to be with Christ, which is far better;

24 But, for your sakes, it may be more needful that I should still remain here in the body.

but for your sakes it is more necessary that I should still live on in the body.

25 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;

And because I am convinced of this, I know that I shall live, and go on working side by side with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,

26 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.

so that you may find me fresh cause of exultation in Christ Jesus, because of my presence among you once more.

27 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,

Only do lead lives worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come to see you or hear reports concerning you in my absence, I may know that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul, enlisted in a common struggle for the faith of the gospel,

28 without ever shrinking from your opponents. To them this will be a sign of their destruction and of your salvation – a sign from God.

and in no way terrorized by its enemies. For you fearlessness is a clear indication of coming ruin for them, but of salvation for you at the hands of God.

29 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.

For it has been granted you in Christ’s behalf, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake,

30 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.

while you wage the same conflict which you once saw in me, and now hear that I maintain.