Philippians 1

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus that are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you,4 always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy,5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now;6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers with me of grace.8 For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;10 so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ;11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.12 Now I would have you know, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the gospel;13 so that my bonds became manifest in Christ throughout the whole praetorian guard, and to all the rest;14 and that most of the brethren in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:16 the one do it of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel;17 but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds.18 What then? only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and therein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.19 For I know that this shall turn out to my salvation, through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.22 But if to live in the flesh, --if this shall bring fruit from my work, then what I shall choose I know not.23 But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better:24 yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake.25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, yea, and abide with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith;26 that your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you and be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel;28 and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God;29 because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf:30 having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Philippians 1

Salutation

1 From Pault and Timothy, slavests of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,s with the overseerss and deacons.

2 Grace and peace to yout from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Prayer for the Church

3 I thank my God every time I remember you.t4 I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you5 because of your participations in the gospel from the first day until now.t6 For I am sure of this very thing,t that the onet who began a good work int you will perfect itt until the day of Christ Jesus.7 Fort it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart,t since both in my imprisonmentt and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s gracet together with me.8 For God is my witness that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.9 And I pray this, that your love may abound even more and more in knowledge and every kind of insight10 so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,

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

Ministry as a Prisoner

12 I want you to know, brothers and sisters,t that my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel:t13 Thet whole imperial guards and everyone else knowst that I am in prisont for the sake of Christ,

14 and most of the brothers and sisters,t having confidence in the Lordt because of my imprisonment, now more than evert dare to speak the words fearlessly.
15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill.16 The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel.17 The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment.t

18 What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.
Yes,t and I will continue to rejoice,19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverancets through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.20 My confident hopet is that I will in no way be ashamedt but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die.t21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.22 Now if I am to go on living in the body,t this will mean productive workt for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer:ts23 I feel torn between the two,t because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far,24 but it is more vital for your sake that I remaint in the body.t25 And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progresst and joy in the faith,s

26 so that what you can be proud of may increaset because of me in Christ Jesus, when I come back to you.t
27 Only conduct yourselvests in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that – whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent – I should hear thatt you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,t28 and by not being intimidated in any way by your opponents. This ists a sign of theirts destruction, but of your salvation – a sign whicht is from God.29 For it has been granted to yout not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him,

30 since you are encounteringt the same conflict that you saw me face and now hear that I am facing.t