Philippians 1

1-2 Paul and Timothy, both of us committed servants of Christ Jesus, write this letter to all the followers of Jesus in Philippi, pastors and ministers included. We greet you with the grace and peace that comes from God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ.

A Love That Will Grow

3-6 Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

7-8 It's not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!

9-11 So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

They Can't Imprison the Message

12-14 I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I'm in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they've learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah.

15-17 It's true that some here preach Christ because with me out of the way, they think they'll step right into the spotlight. But the others do it with the best heart in the world. One group is motivated by pure love, knowing that I am here defending the Message, wanting to help. The others, now that I'm out of the picture, are merely greedy, hoping to get something out of it for themselves. Their motives are bad. They see me as their competition, and so the worse it goes for me, the better—they think—for them.

18-21 So how am I to respond? I've decided that I really don't care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on!
And I'm going to keep that celebration going because I know how it's going to turn out. Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done. I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don't expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn't shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose.

22-26 As long as I'm alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I'd choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues. You can start looking forward to a great reunion when I come visit you again. We'll be praising Christ, enjoying each other.

27-30 Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ. Let nothing in your conduct hang on whether I come or not. Your conduct must be the same whether I show up to see things for myself or hear of it from a distance. Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people's trust in the Message, the good news, not flinching or dodging in the slightest before the opposition. Your courage and unity will show them what they're up against: defeat for them, victory for you—and both because of God. There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting. You're involved in the same kind of struggle you saw me go through, on which you are now getting an updated report in this letter.

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.