FILIPPENSE 1

Opskrif en seëngroet.

1 PAULUS en tTimótheüs, diensknegte van Jesus Christus, aan al tdie heiliges in Christus Jesus wat in tFilíppi is, saam met tdie opsieners en tdiakens:

2  tGenade vir julle en vrede van God onse Vader en die Here Jesus Christus!

Paulus se liefde vir die Filippense. Vrug van sy gevangenskap.

3  tEK dank my God elke maal as ek aan julle dink —

4 en ek bid altyd in al my gebede vir julle almal met blydskap —

5 oor julle gemeenskap aan die evangelie tvan die eerste dag af tot nou toe,

6 omdat ek juis hierop vertrou, dat Hy wat ’n goeie werk in julle begin het, dit sal voleindig ttot op die dag van Jesus Christus;

7 soos dit vir my reg is om dit van julle almal te dink, omdat ek julle in my hart dra, aangesien julle almal tin my boeie sowel as in tdie verdediging en bevestiging van die evangelie my deelgenote in die genade is.

8 Want God is my getuie hoe tek na julle almal verlang met tdie innige tederheid van Jesus Christus.

9 En dit bid ek dat julle liefde nog meer en meer oorvloedig mag word in tkennis en alle ervaring,

10  tom die dinge waar dit op aankom, te onderskei, sodat julle rein en vir niemand ’n aanstoot mag wees nie, ttot op die dag van Christus,

11 vervul met tdie vrug van geregtigheid wat daar is deur Jesus Christus ttot heerlikheid en lof van God.

12 En ek wil hê dat julle moet weet, broeders, dat wat my wedervaar het, eerder op bevordering van die evangelie uitgeloop het,

13 sodat my boeie openbaar geword het in Christus onder die hele keiserlike lyfwag en by al die ander,

14 en die meeste van die broeders wat in die Here deur my boeie vertroue gekry het, dit des te meer waag om die woord onbevrees te spreek.

15 Sommige preek Christus wel ook uit afguns en twis, maar ander ook uit welwillendheid:

16 die eerste verkondig Christus uit naywer, nie met suiwer bedoelinge nie, met die mening om aan my boeie verdrukking toe te voeg;

17 maar die ander uit liefde, omdat hulle weet dat ek bestem is tot tdie verdediging van die evangelie.

18 Maar wat maak dit? In alle geval, op allerlei wyse, of dit onder ’n skyn of in waarheid is, word Christus verkondig; en hierin verbly ek my en sal ek my ook verbly.

19 Want ek weet dat dit tdeur julle gebed en die ondersteuning van tdie Gees van Jesus Christus my tot heil sal strek,

20 volgens my reikhalsende verwagting en hoop dat ek tin niks beskaam sal word nie; maar dat Christus tmet alle vrymoedigheid, soos altyd so ook nou, groot gemaak sal word in my liggaam, of dit deur die lewe of deur die dood is.

21 Want vir my tis die lewe Christus en die sterwe wins.

22 Maar as ek in die vlees moet lewe, dan beteken dit vir my vrugbare arbeid; en wat ek sal kies, weet ek nie.

23 Want ek word van weerskante gedring: tek het verlange tom heen te gaan en met Christus te wees, want dit is verreweg die beste;

24 maar om in die vlees te bly, is nodiger om julle ontwil.

25 En dit vertrou en weet ek dat ek sal bly, ja, saam met julle almal sal bly tot julle bevordering en blydskap in die geloof,

26 sodat julle roem oor my oorvloedig kan wees in Christus Jesus deur my teenwoordigheid weer by julle.

Vermaning om te volhard. Broederlike eenheid, ootmoed, heiligmaking.

27 ALLEENLIK, tgedra julle waardig die evangelie van Christus, sodat, of ek kom en julle sien dan wel of ek afwesig is, ek van julle omstandighede kan hoor dat julle in teen gees vasstaan en, teen van siel, tsaam stry vir die geloof van die evangelie,

28 en dat julle jul in geen opsig laat afskrik deur die teëstanders nie. tDit is vir hulle wel ’n bewys van verderf, maar vir julle van redding, en dit van God;

29 omdat tdit aan julle ter wille van Christus genadiglik gegee is om nie alleen in Hom te glo nie, maar ook vir Hom te ly,
30 terwyl julle dieselfde stryd het tas wat julle in my gesien het en nou van my hoor.

Philippians 1

1  PAUL AND Timothy, bond servants of Christ Jesus (the Messiah), to all the saints (God’s consecrated people) in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops (overseers) and deacons (assistants):2  Grace (favor and blessing) to you and [heart] peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).3  I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.4  In every prayer of mine I always make my entreaty and petition for you all with joy (delight).5  [I thank my God] for your fellowship (your sympathetic cooperation and contributions and partnership) in advancing the good news (the Gospel) from the first day [you heard it] until now.6  And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.7  It is right and appropriate for me to have this confidence and feel this way about you all, because you have me in your heart and I hold you in my heart as partakers and sharers, one and all with me, of grace (God’s unmerited favor and spiritual blessing). [This is true] both when I am shut up in prison and when I am out in the defense and confirmation of the good news (the Gospel).8  For God is my witness how I long for and pursue you all with love, in the tender mercy of Christ Jesus [Himself]!9  And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment],10  So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble].11  May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), to the honor and praise of God [that His glory may be both manifested and recognized].12  Now I want you to know and continue to rest assured, brethren, that what [has happened] to me [this imprisonment] has actually only served to advance and give a renewed impetus to the [spreading of the] good news (the Gospel).13  So much is this a fact that throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest [here] my imprisonment has become generally known to be in Christ [that I am a prisoner in His service and for Him].14  And [also] most of the brethren have derived fresh confidence in the Lord because of my chains and are much more bold to speak and publish fearlessly the Word of God [acting with more freedom and indifference to the consequences].15  Some, it is true, [actually] preach Christ (the Messiah) [for no better reason than] out of envy and rivalry (party spirit), but others are doing so out of a loyal spirit and goodwill.16  The latter [proclaim Christ] out of love, because they recognize and know that I am [providentially] put here for the defense of the good news (the Gospel).17  But the former preach Christ out of a party spirit, insincerely [out of no pure motive, but thinking to annoy me], supposing they are making my bondage more bitter and my chains more galling.18  But what does it matter, so long as either way, whether in pretense [for personal ends] or in all honesty [for the furtherance of the Truth], Christ is being proclaimed? And in that I [now] rejoice, yes, and I shall rejoice [hereafter] also.19  For I am well assured and indeed know that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) this will turn out for my preservation (for the spiritual health and welfare of my own soul) and avail toward the saving work of the Gospel.20  This is in keeping with my own eager desire and persistent expectation and hope, that I shall not disgrace myself nor be put to shame in anything; but that with the utmost freedom of speech and unfailing courage, now as always heretofore, Christ (the Messiah) will be magnified and get glory and praise in this body of mine and be boldly exalted in my person, whether through (by) life or through (by) death.21  For me to live is Christ [His life in me], and to die is gain [the gain of the glory of eternity].22  If, however, it is to be life in the flesh and I am to live on here, that means fruitful service for me; so I can say nothing as to my personal preference [I cannot choose],23  But I am hard pressed between the two. My yearning desire is to depart (to be free of this world, to set forth) and be with Christ, for that is far, far better;24  But to remain in my body is more needful and essential for your sake.25  Since I am convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and stay by you all, to promote your progress and joy in believing,26  So that in me you may have abundant cause for exultation and glorying in Christ Jesus, through my coming to you again.27  Only be sure as citizens so to conduct yourselves [that] your manner of life [will be] worthy of the good news (the Gospel) of Christ, so that whether I [do] come and see you or am absent, I may hear this of you: that you are standing firm in united spirit and purpose, striving side by side and contending with a single mind for the faith of the glad tidings (the Gospel).28  And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God.29  For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake not only to believe in (adhere to, rely on, and trust in) Him, but also to suffer in His behalf.30  So you are engaged in the same conflict which you saw me [wage] and which you now hear to be mine [still].