< Philippians 1 >
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Yeshua the Messiah, to all the holy ones in Messiah Yeshua who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
3 I thank my God whenever I remember you,
4 always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy,
5 for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day 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 Yeshua the Messiah.
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 defence and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.
8 For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Messiah Yeshua.
9 This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offence to the day of Messiah,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are through Yeshua the Messiah, 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,
13 so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Messiah,
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.
15 Some indeed proclaim Messiah even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.
16 The former insincerely proclaim Messiah from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;
17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defence of the Good News.
18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Messiah is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this will turn out to my salvation through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Yeshua the Messiah,
20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Messiah will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me to live is Messiah, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose.
23 But I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Messiah, which is far better.
24 Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.
25 Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 that your boasting may abound in Messiah Yeshua in me through my presence with you again.
27 Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Messiah, 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;
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.
29 Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Messiah, 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.