THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE
PHILIPPIANS
1
Greeting
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's Prayer for the Philippians
3 I give thanks to my God every time I remember you,
4 always praying with joy in every one of my prayers for you all
5 because of your partnership with me in the gospel from the first day until now.
6 I am confident that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to think this way about you all, since I have you in my heart. For you all share with me in God's grace, both in my imprisonment and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel.
8 For God is my witness that I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
9 And I pray that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 so that you may approve what is excellent in order to be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,
11 filled with the fruits of righteousness that come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Paul's Imprisonment Advances the Gospel
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually helped advance the gospel,
13 so that it has become known among the entire imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ.
14 And the greater part of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence through my imprisonment and are far more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others do it out of good will.
16 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to add affliction to me in my imprisonment.
17 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
18 But what does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.
19 For I know that this will result in my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
20 My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be put to shame in anything, but will speak with complete boldness so that now, as always, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether I live or die.
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
22 But if I am to live in the flesh, it will mean fruit from my labor. Yet I do not know which I prefer.
23 I am hard pressed between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith,
26 so that your boasting may abound in Christ Jesus because of me when I come to you again.
27 Only live as citizens in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving together with one mind for the faith of the gospel,
28 and not being intimidated in any way by those who oppose you. For them this is an indication of destruction, but for you it is an indication of salvation, and that from God.
29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,
30 since you are experiencing the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.