Philippians 1

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all those set apart in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.

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

2 May grace be 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 every time I remember you;

I give thanks to my God every time I remember you,

4 and always in every prayer for all of you, I pray with joy.

always praying with joy in every one of my prayers for you all

5 I give thanks for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.

because of your partnership with me in the gospel from the first day until now.

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

I am confident that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you because I have you in my heart. You all have been my partners in grace both in my imprisonment and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel.

It is right for me to think this way about you all, since I have you in my heart. For you all share with me in God's grace, both in my imprisonment and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel.

8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.

For God is my witness that I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

9 I am praying this: That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and all understanding.

And I pray that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

10 I pray for this so that you may approve what is excellent, and so you may be sincere and without offense on the day of Christ.

so that you may approve what is excellent in order to be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,

11 I pray that you also will be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

filled with the fruits of righteousness that come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually helped advance the gospel,

13 As a result, my chains in Christ came to light throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else.

so that it has become known among the entire imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ.

14 Most of the brothers have far more confidence in the Lord because of my chains, and they have courage to fearlessly speak the word.

And the greater part of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence through my imprisonment and are far more bold to speak the word without fear.

15 Some indeed even proclaim Christ out of envy and strife, and also others out of good will.

Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others do it out of good will.

16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to add affliction to me in my imprisonment.

17 But the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely. They think they will afflict me while I am in chains.

The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

18 What then? Only that in every way—whether from false motives or from true—Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

But what does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.

19 for I know that this will result in my deliverance through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

For I know that this will result in my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

20 It is my eager expectation and certain hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but that I will have complete boldness, so that now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be put to shame in anything, but will speak with complete boldness so that now, as always, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether I live or die.

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

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

22 But if I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which to choose? I do not know.

But if I am to live in the flesh, it will mean fruit from my labor. Yet I do not know which I prefer.

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

I am hard pressed between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

24 yet to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

25 Being convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith,

26 so that in me you may have increasing reasons to boast in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

so that your boasting may abound in Christ Jesus because of me when I come to you again.

27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come to see you or am absent, I may hear about you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Only live as citizens in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving together with one mind for the faith of the gospel,

28 Do not be frightened in any respect by those who are your opponents. This is a sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation—and this from God.

and not being intimidated in any way by those who oppose you. For them this is an indication of destruction, but for you it is an indication of salvation, and that from God.

29 For it has been granted to you, for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake,

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

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

since you are experiencing the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.