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Philippians 1

1 From Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.
To all of God’s holy people in Christ Jesus who live in Philippi, including your overseers and deacons:

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

Paul’s Prayer

3 I thank my God every time I remember you,4 always praying with joy for all of you.5 I thank God for the help you gave me while I preached the Good News—help you gave from the first day you believed until now.

6 God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.
7 And I know that I am right to think like this about all of you, because I have you in my heart. All of you share in God’s grace with me while I am in prison and while I am defending and proving the truth of the Good News.

8 God knows that I want to see you very much, because I love all of you with the love of Christ Jesus.
9 This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love;10 that you will see the difference between good and bad and will choose the good; that you will be pure and without wrong for the coming of Christ;

11 that you will be filled with the good things produced in your life by Christ to bring glory and praise to God.

Paul’s Troubles Help the Work

12 I want you brothers and sisters to know that what has happened to me has helped to spread the Good News.13 All the palace guards and everyone else knows that I am in prison because I am a believer in Christ.

14 Because I am in prison, most of the believers have become more bold in Christ and are not afraid to speak the word of God.
15 It is true that some preach about Christ because they are jealous and ambitious, but others preach about Christ because they want to help.16 They preach because they have love, and they know that God gave me the work of defending the Good News.

17 But the others preach about Christ for selfish and wrong reasons, wanting to make trouble for me in prison.
18 But it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that in every way, whether for right or wrong reasons, they are preaching about Christ. So I am happy, and I will continue to be happy.19 Because you are praying for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ is helping me, I know this trouble will bring my freedom.20 I expect and hope that I will not fail Christ in anything but that I will have the courage now, as always, to show the greatness of Christ in my life here on earth, whether I live or die.21 To me the only important thing about living is Christ, and dying would be profit for me.22 If I continue living in my body, I will be able to work for the Lord. I do not know what to choose—living or dying.23 It is hard to choose between the two. I want to leave this life and be with Christ, which is much better,24 but you need me here in my body.25 Since I am sure of this, I know I will stay with you to help you grow and have joy in your faith.

26 You will be very happy in Christ Jesus when I am with you again.
27 Only one thing concerns me: Be sure that you live in a way that brings honor to the Good News of Christ. Then whether I come and visit you or am away from you, I will hear that you are standing strong with one purpose, that you work together as one for the faith of the Good News,28 and that you are not afraid of those who are against you. All of this is proof that your enemies will be destroyed but that you will be saved by God.29 God gave you the honor not only of believing in Christ but also of suffering for him, both of which bring glory to Christ.30 When I was with you, you saw the struggles I had, and you hear about the struggles I am having now. You yourselves are having the same kind of struggles.

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.