Philippians

Greetings from Paul and Timothy

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

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

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3I thank my God every time I remember you.

4In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy,

5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

6being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partners in grace with me.

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

9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

10so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Trials Advance the Gospel

12Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually served to advance the gospel.

13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guardand to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

14And most of the brothers, confident in the Lord by my chains, now dare more greatly to speak the wordwithout fear.

15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

17The former, however, preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can add to the distress of my chains.

18What then is the issue?Just this: that in every way, whether by false motives or true, Christ is preached. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

19because I know that through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, my distress will turn out for my deliverance.

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

To Live Is Christ

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

22But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know.

23I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.

24But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

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

26so that through my coming to you again your exultation in Christ Jesus will resound on account of me.

Worthy of the Gospel

27Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending together as onefor the faith of the gospel,

28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a clear sign of their destruction but of your salvation, and it is from God.

29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him,

30since you are encountering the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

1Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ; to all the saints in Christ Jesus, who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.

2Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3I give thanks to my God in every remembrance of you,

4Always in all my prayers making supplication for you all, with joy;

5For your communication in the gospel of Christ from the first day until now.

6Being confident of this very thing, that he, who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus.

7As it is meet for me to think this for you all, for that I have you in my heart; and that in my bands, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of my joy.

8For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

9And this I pray, that your charity may more and more abound in knowledge, and in all understanding:

10That you may approve the better things, that you may be sincere and without offence unto the day of Christ,

11Filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

12Now, brethren, I desire you should know, that the things which have happened to me, have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel:

13So that my bands are made manifest in Christ, in all the court, and in all other places;

14And many of the brethren in the Lord, growing confident by my bands, are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear.

15Some indeed, even out of envy and contention; but some also for good will preach Christ.

16Some out of charity, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

17And some out of contention preach Christ not sincerely: supposing that they raise affliction to my bands.

18But what then? So that by all means, whether by occasion, or by truth, Christ be preached: in this also I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

19For I know that this shall fall out to me unto salvation, through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20According to my expectation and hope; that in nothing I shall be confounded, but with all confidence, as always, so now also shall Christ be magnified in my body, wither it be by life, or by death.

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

22And if to live in the flesh, this is to me the fruit of labour, and what I shall choose I know not.

23But I am straitened between two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, a thing by far the better.

24But to abide still in the flesh, is needful for you.

25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith:

26That your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus for me, by my coming to you again.

27Only let your conversation be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you, or, being absent, may hear of you, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind labouring together for the faith of the gospel.

28And in nothing be ye terrified by the adversaries: which to them is a cause of perdition, but to you of salvation, and this from God:

29For unto you it is given for Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.

30Having the same conflict as that which you have seen in me, and now have heard of me.