1 Paul and Timothy write this letter to you. We are servants of Christ Jesus.
We are writing to you, God's own people who live in Philippi. You belong to God because you are united with Christ Jesus. We are writing to all of you. This includes the leaders and the deacons in the church there. [ a ]
2 We pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will continue to help you. We pray that they will give you peace in your minds.
3 Every time that I think about you, I thank my God because of you. 4 I am always praying for you. Every time that I pray for you, I feel very happy. 5 I am happy because together we tell people the good news about Christ. You have always helped me with that work, since the first day that you yourselves heard the good news. 6 I know that God has begun to do good things in you. And I am sure that he will continue to work in you. Then, on the day when Jesus Christ returns, his work in you will be finished.
7 It is right for me to feel like this about all of you, because I love you very much. God has been very kind to all of us. Because you know that, you have continued to help me. You have helped me while I have been here in this prison. You also helped me when I was free and I could teach the good news. I explained to people why the good news is God's true message. Together, we have known how kind God is. 8 God knows that I very much want to be with all of you. I love you very much, just like Christ Jesus himself loves you.
9 This is what I pray for you. I pray that you will continue to love each other more and more. I pray that you will know God better and better. I pray that you will understand all those things that are true. 10 Then you will be able to choose what is best in the way that you live. Then, on the day when Christ returns, you will be completely clean. You will not be guilty of any bad thing. 11 Because of the work that Jesus Christ has done in you, you will be right with God. And your lives will be full of good things. As a result, people will praise God and they will say that he is very great.
12 My friends, I want you to know this. The trouble that has happened to me has helped more people to know about God's good news. 13 I am in a prison because I am Christ's servant. [ b ] The soldiers in the king's house and all the people here know that. 14 Also, because I am in a prison, most of the other believers here trust the Lord even more. The Lord has made them brave, so that they are not afraid to speak God's message to people.
15 It is true that some of these Christians are jealous of me. They want to show that they are better than me. That is why they tell people the message about Christ. But other Christians speak about Christ because they want to help me. 16 They tell people about him because they love me. They know that God has put me here in this prison. And he wants me to show people that the good news is true. 17 Those other people speak about Christ because they want to seem important. They do not really want to help people. They just want to cause trouble for me while I am here in this prison. 18 But it does not matter to me! All of them are telling people about Christ. That is the most important thing. Whether they speak because of wrong reasons or because of right reasons, they are speaking the message about Christ! Because of that, I am happy.
Yes, I will continue to be happy. 19 You are praying for me and Jesus Christ's Spirit is helping me. So I know that what has happened to me will have a good result. Yes, God will rescue me. 20 I never want to do anything that will cause me to be ashamed. I hope very much that I will never do that. I want to be brave now, as I always have been. In the way that I live, I want to show that Christ is very great. I want to do that if I continue to live. And I want to do that if I die.
21 Christ is everything that I live for. If I die, that will be even better for me. 22 But if I continue to live, I will be able to do more good things to help people. I do not know whether it would be better to live or to die. I do not know which to choose. 23 Both of them seem very good to me. I want to leave this world so that I can be with Christ. That is a much better thing. 24 But you people need me to continue to live here in this world. 25 Yes, I am sure that you need me. For that reason, I know that I will continue to live among you. Then I will be able to help you to trust Christ even more. And that will make you even happier. 26 Then, when I am there with you again, you will have an even better reason to thank Christ Jesus.
27 The most important thing is that you continue to live in a good way. Live in the way that the good news about Christ teaches. I want to know that you agree together about the good news. And that you work together to show others that the good news is true. Whether I come to visit you or not, I want to know that you all help one another like that. 28 I want to know that you are not afraid of the people who speak against you. If you are brave, that will be a sign from God. It will show your enemies that they will lose and you will win. God will punish them, but he will save you. 29 God is helping you to serve Christ well. That means that you believe in Christ. But it also means that you receive trouble and pain on his behalf. Both of those are gifts from God. 30 You are receiving the same kinds of trouble that I myself receive. You saw that when I was with you. Now you hear that it is still happening to me.
1 Greetings from Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ.
To all of you in Philippi who are God’s holy people in Christ Jesus, including your elders [ a ] and special servants.
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank God every time I remember you. 4 And I always pray for all of you with joy. 5 I thank God for the help you gave me while I told people the Good News. You helped from the first day you believed until now. 6 I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again.
7 I know I am right to think like this about all of you because you are so close to my heart. This is because you have all played such an important part in God’s grace to me—now, during this time that I am in prison, and whenever I am defending and proving the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows that I want very much to see you. 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 what is important and what is not and choose what is important; that you will be pure and blameless for the coming of Christ; 11 that your life will be full of the many good works that are produced by Jesus Christ to bring glory and praise to God.
12 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that all that has happened to me has helped to spread the Good News. 13 All the Roman guards and all the others here know that I am in prison for serving Christ. 14 My being in prison has caused most of the believers to put their trust in the Lord and to show more courage in telling people God’s message.
15 Some people are telling the message about Christ because they are jealous and bitter. Others do it because they want to help. 16 They are doing it out of love. They know that God gave me the work of defending the Good News. 17 But those others tell about Christ because of their selfish ambition. Their reason for doing it is wrong. They only do it because they think it will make trouble for me in prison. 18 But that doesn’t matter. What is important is that they are telling people about Christ, whether they are sincere or not. So I am glad they are doing it.
I will continue to be glad, 19 because I know that your prayers and the help the Spirit of Jesus Christ gives me will cause this trouble to result in my freedom. [ b ] 20 I am full of hope and feel sure I will not have any reason to be ashamed. I am certain I will continue to have the same boldness to speak freely that I always have. I will let God use my life to bring more honor to Christ. It doesn’t matter whether I live or die. 21 To me, the only important thing about living is Christ. And even death would be for my benefit. [ c ] 22 If I continue living here on earth, I will be able to work for the Lord. But what would I choose—to live or to die? I don’t know. 23 It would be a hard choice. Sometimes I want to leave this life and be with Christ. That would be much better for me; 24 however, you people need me here alive. 25 I am sure of this, so I know that I will stay here and be with you to help you grow and have joy in your faith. 26 When I am there with you again, you will be bursting with pride over what Christ Jesus did to help me.
27 Just be sure you live as God’s people in a way that honors the Good News of Christ. Then if I come and visit you or if I am away from you, I will hear good things about you. I will know that you stand together with the same purpose and that you work together like a team to help others believe the Good News. 28 And you will not be afraid of those who are against you. All of this is proof from God that you are being saved and that your enemies will be lost. 29 God has blessed you in ways that serve Christ. He allowed you to believe in Christ. But that is not all. He has also given you the honor of suffering for Christ. Both of these bring glory to Christ. 30 You saw the difficulties I had to face, and you hear that I am still having troubles. Now you must face them too.
1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this 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 of my grace.
8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
1 ( A ) Paul and ( B ) Timothy, ( C ) bond-servants of ( D ) Christ Jesus,
To ( E ) all the [ a ] ( F ) saints in Christ Jesus who are in ( G ) Philippi, [ b ] including the ( H ) overseers and ( I ) deacons: 2 ( J ) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 ( K ) I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in ( L ) my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your [ c ] ( M ) participation in the ( N ) gospel ( O ) from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work [ d ] among you will complete it [ e ] by ( P ) the day of Christ Jesus. 7 [ f ] For ( Q ) it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I ( R ) have you in my heart, since both in my [ g ] ( S ) imprisonment and in the ( T ) defense and confirmation of the ( U ) gospel, you all are [ h ] partakers of grace with me. 8 For ( V ) God is my witness, how I long for you all with the [ i ] affection of ( W ) Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, that ( X ) your love may overflow still more and more in ( Y ) real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may [ j ] ( Z ) discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for ( AA ) the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the ( AB ) fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters , that my circumstances ( AC ) have turned out for the greater progress of the ( AD ) gospel, 13 so that my [ k ] ( AE ) imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the [ l ] praetorian guard and to ( AF ) everyone else, 14 and that most of the brothers and sisters , [ m ] trusting in the Lord because of my [ n ] ( AG ) imprisonment, have ( AH ) far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. 15 ( AI ) Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even [ o ] from envy and strife, but some also [ p ] from goodwill; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the ( AJ ) gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ ( AK ) out of selfish ambition [ q ] rather than from pure motives, thinking that they are causing me distress in my [ r ] ( AL ) imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.
But not only that , I also will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my [ s ] deliverance ( AM ) through your [ t ] prayers and the provision of ( AN ) the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my ( AO ) eager expectation and ( AP ) hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with ( AQ ) all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be ( AR ) exalted in my body, ( AS ) whether by life or by death.
21 For to me, ( AT ) to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 [ u ] But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean ( AU ) fruitful labor for me; and I do not know [ v ] which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions , having the ( AV ) desire to depart and ( AW ) be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes. 25 ( AX ) Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy [ w ] in the faith, 26 so that your ( AY ) pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again.
27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner ( AZ ) worthy of the ( BA ) gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are ( BB ) standing firm in ( BC ) one spirit, with one [ x ] mind ( BD ) striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28 and in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a ( BE ) sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and this too , from God. 29 For to you ( BF ) it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to ( BG ) suffer on His behalf, 30 experiencing the same ( BH ) conflict which ( BI ) you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
1 Paul and Timothy, ( A ) servants of Christ Jesus,
To all God’s holy people ( B ) in Christ Jesus at Philippi, ( C ) together with the overseers ( D ) and deacons [ a ] : ( E )
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ( F )
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. ( G ) 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray ( H ) with joy 5 because of your partnership ( I ) in the gospel from the first day ( J ) until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion ( K ) until the day of Christ Jesus. ( L )
7 It is right ( M ) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart ( N ) and, whether I am in chains ( O ) or defending ( P ) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify ( Q ) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love ( R ) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ( S ) 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ( T ) 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness ( U ) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, [ b ] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard [ c ] and to everyone else that I am in chains ( V ) for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, ( W ) most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. ( X )
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. ( Y ) 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, ( Z ) not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. ( AA ) 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers ( AB ) and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ ( AC ) what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. [ d ] ( AD ) 20 I eagerly expect ( AE ) and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage ( AF ) so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, ( AG ) whether by life or by death. ( AH ) 21 For to me, to live is Christ ( AI ) and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart ( AJ ) and be with Christ, ( AK ) which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy ( AL ) of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm ( AM ) in the one Spirit, [ e ] striving together ( AN ) as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you ( AO ) on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer ( AP ) for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle ( AQ ) you saw ( AR ) I had, and now hear ( AS ) that I still have.
