Philipper 1
1 Paulus und Timotheus, Knechte Jesu Christi an alle Heiligen in Christi Jesu zu Philippi, samt Vorständen und Diakonen,
[I], Paul, and Timothy, [who is with me, are] men who serve Christ Jesus. I [am writing this letter] to all [of you who are] pastors and deacons in Philippi [city] and to the rest of God’s people [there who have a close relationship] with Christ Jesus.
2 Gnade euch, und Friede von Gott unserem Vater und dem Herrn Jesus Christus.
[We both] (OR, [I]) [pray that] God, [who is] our Father, and Jesus Christ, [who is our] Lord, [will continue to] be kind to you and [will continue to] cause you to have [inner] peace.
3 Ich danke meinem Gott, sooft ich euer Gedenke,
I thank my God whenever I think about you.
4 Was ich allezeit tue in jeglichem Gebet für euch und alle, und mit Freuden bete ich
Every time [DOU] I pray [for you], I joyfully pray [DOU] for all of you.
5 Über eurer Gemeinschaft am Evangelium von ersten Tage an bis heute;
I [thank God and rejoice] because you have been [working] together with me in order to [make known] the good message about Christ. [You started doing that] when you first [MTY] [believed it, and you have continued doing it] until now.
6 Indem ich der Zuversicht bin, daß, Der in euch das gute Werk angefangen hat, es auch vollführen wird bis zum Tage Jesu Christi.
I am completely confident that [God], who has begun to do in you what is good, (OR, that since [God] has begun to do in you what is good, he) will continue to do that until he finishes doing it on the day Christ Jesus [MTY] [returns].
7 Wie es denn recht und billig ist, daß ich so von euch allen denke, weil ich euch im Herzen trage, in meinen Banden und bei der Verteidigung und Bestätigung des Evangeliums, als die ihr alle mit mir der Gnade teilhaftig seid.
During this time that I have been a prisoner [MTY] and during the times I was previously able to defend the good message about Christ and proved/confirmed [to others] that it is true, all of you have been sharing with me (OR, have helped me) in this work [that God] kindly gave [to me to do. So] indeed it is right that I feel joyful about you all, because you are very dear [IDM] to me.
8 Denn Gott ist mein Zeuge, wie sehr mich nach euch allen verlangt in der innigen Liebe Jesu Christi.
God [can] verify that Christ Jesus causes me to [love and] long for all of you very much, [just like] Christ loves [you].
9 Und darum bete ich, daß eure Liebe mehr und mehr reich werde an aller Erkenntnis und Einsicht.
And what I pray [for you] is that [God will enable] you to truly know and learn how to love [one another] more and more in every situation.
10 Daß ihr prüfen möget, was recht und unrecht ist, auf daß ihr lauter und unanstößig seid auf den Tag von Christus,
[And I pray that he will enable] you to completely understand [how you should believe and act]. I [pray this] in order that you might be [spiritually] pure and faultless (OR, completely faultless [DOU]) on the day that Christ [returns] [MTY],
11 Erfüllt mit Früchten der Gerechtigkeit, durch Jesus Christus, zur Ehre und zum Lobe Gottes.
[and in order that] you might conduct your lives [IDM] completely righteously as a result of Jesus Christ [enabling you to do so], in order that [people will] honor God and praise him (OR, [people will] praise God very much [DOU]).
12 Ich tue euch aber zu wissen, Brüder, daß, was mit mir geschehen ist, nur mehr zur Förderung des Evangeliums geraten ist.
My fellow believers, I want you to know that the [troubles] I have experienced [have not prevented me from proclaiming the good message to people. Instead], [these things that I have experienced] have enabled even more people to hear the good message [about Christ].
13 Also daß meine Bande offenbar geworden sind in Christus im ganzen Prätorium und sonst überall,
[Specifically], all the military guards who are stationed [here in Rome] and many other [HYP] [people in this city] [HYP] now know that I am a prisoner [MTY] because I [proclaim the good news] about Christ.
14 Und die meisten Brüder in dem Herrn durch meine Bande Zuversicht gewonnen und desto kühner geworden sind, furchtlos das Wort zu verkünden.
Also, most of the believers [here now] proclaim the message from God more courageously and fearlessly [because] they trust the Lord [more firmly to help them. They trust the Lord more] because [they have seen how the Lord has helped me] while I have been a prisoner [MTY] [here].
15 Zwar gibt es auch einige, die Christus des Neides und Streites wegen verkünden, andere aber auch tun es aus guter Meinung.
Some people proclaim [the message about Christ as I do] because they are happy [with my work]. They proclaim [the message about] Christ because they love [me and because] they know that [God] has placed me [here] to defend the message about Christ [CHI].
16 Die es aus Liebe tun, wissen, daß ich um des Evangeliums willen zur Verantwortung da bin.
17 Die es aus Streitsucht tun, verkündigen Christus in unlauterer Absicht, um mich in meinen Banden in Trübsal zu bringen.
Others proclaim [the message about] Christ because they envy [me] and oppose [me]. They proclaim the message about Christ because they have wrong motives. They [wrongly] assume [that because they are causing many people to follow them, I will be jealous, and as a result], I will feel more miserable while I am a prisoner [MTY] [here].
18 Was tut es aber, wenn nur jedenfalls, sei es aus Heuchelei oder in Wahrheit, Christus verkündigt wird; und darüber freue ich mich und werde mich freuen.
But it does not matter whether [people proclaim the message about Christ] because they have wrong motives, or whether [people proclaim the message about Christ] because they have right motives. The important thing in either case is that [the message about] Christ is being proclaimed {people are proclaiming [the message about] Christ}. And because of that I rejoice! Philippians 1:18b-26 Furthermore, I will continue to rejoice,
19 Denn ich weiß, daß mir dies durch euer Gebet und den Beistand des Geistes Jesu Christi zum Heile gereichen wird.
because when I experience troubles, I know that some day God will say that he approves [of what I have done] (OR, that [the Roman authorities] will set me free). [This will happen] as a result of your praying for me, and [as a result] of [God’s] Spirit, whom Jesus Christ gave me, helping me.
20 Nach meiner Zuversicht und Hoffnung, daß ich in keinerlei Stück zuschanden werde, und daß mit aller Freimütigkeit, wie immer, so auch jetzt Christus verherrlicht werden soll an meinem Leibe, sei es im Leben oder durch den Tod.
I [know that this will happen] because I very confidently expect [DOU] that I will faithfully honor Christ. I expect that like I always [have done], Christ will be greatly honored {I will continue now also to very boldly honor Christ} by means of all that I do [SYN, MTY], whether by [the way I] live or [by the way I] die.
21 Denn Christus ist mein Leben, und Sterben ist mein Gewinn.
As for me, I live [in order to honor] Christ. But if I die, it will be better [for me than if I continue to live, because then I will be with him].
22 Wenn aber im Fleische leben dazu dient, meinem Werk Frucht zu bringen, so weiß ich nicht, was ich wählen soll.
On the other hand, if I continue to live, that will enable me to continue to serve [Christ] effectively. As a result, I do not know which to choose.
23 Denn es drängt mich von beiden Seiten, ich habe Lust abzuscheiden und bei Christus zu sein; was auch viel besser für mich wäre.
That is, I am not sure which of those two I [prefer]. I long to leave [this world] and [go to] be with Christ, because that will be very much better [for me].
24 Aber es ist notwendiger euretwegen, daß ich im Fleische bleibe.
Nevertheless, it is more important that I remain alive [than that I go to be with Christ because] you still need [me to help you].
25 Und soviel weiß ich mit Zuversicht, daß ich bleiben und bei euch allen verbleiben werde, zu eurer Förderung und Freudigkeit im Glauben;
Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain [alive] and that I will [go/come to] be with you all. [As a result], you will believe [in Christ] more firmly, and [as a result of that], you will rejoice.
26 Damit ihr euch, so ich wieder zu euch komme, in Jesus Christus an mir rühmen möget.
[That is], you will be able to rejoice very greatly because of Christ Jesus [bringing] me [to be with you again].
27 So wandelt nur würdig des Evangeliums Christi, auf daß, ob ich komme und euch sehe, oder abwesend von euch höre, ihr fest steht in einem Geiste und einem Sinn, und samt uns kämpft für den Glauben an das Evangelium.
Most importantly, as fellow [believers in Christ], conduct yourselves just like [you learned you should do when you heard] the message about Christ. Do that in order that whether I come and see you, or whether [I am away from you and] people tell me about you, [what I hear or see will make me happy]. They will tell me that you are unitedly and cooperatively resisting [those who oppose the message about Christ] (OR, [oppose you]). I [will know] that you are not allowing others to influence you to believe a message that is different from the gospel [about Christ].
28 Und euch in keinem Stück abschrecken lasset von den Widersachern, was für sie zum Verderben, euch aber zum Heile dient, und das von Gott aus.
And I [will know] that you are not at all frightened by {afraid of} the people who oppose you. This will show/prove to those people that [God] will destroy them, but this will show/prove to you that [God] will save you eternally. It is God who is doing [all] this.
29 Denn euch ward vergönnt um Christus willen, nicht allein an Ihn zu glauben, sondern auch um Seinetwillen zu leiden;
Remember that he has not only kindly enabled you to believe in Christ, [he] has also kindly allowed you to suffer for the sake of Christ.
30 Und habt denselben Kampf, wie ihr ihn an mir gesehen habt und nun von mir hört.
[As a result], you are [having to] resist [those who oppose the good message], just like you saw that I [had to] resist [such people there in Philippi], and just like you hear that I [still have to resist such people here] now.
