Philippians 1:1-30
1 Paul and Timothy, slaves+ of Christ Jesus, to all the holy ones in union with Christ Jesus who are in Phi·lipʹpi,+ along with overseers* and ministerial servants:*+
2 May YOU have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.+
3 I thank my God always upon every remembrance of YOU+
4 in every supplication of mine for all of YOU,+ as I offer my supplication with joy,
5 because of the contribution+ YOU have made to the good news from the first day until this moment.
6 For I am confident of this very thing, that he who started a good work in YOU will carry it to completion+ until the day+ of Jesus Christ.
7 It is altogether right for me to think this regarding all of YOU, on account of my having YOU in my heart,+ all of YOU being sharers+ with me in the undeserved kindness, both in my [prison]+ bonds and in the defending+ and legally+ establishing of the good news.
8 For God is my witness of how I am yearning for all of YOU in such tender affection+ as Christ Jesus has.
9 And this is what I continue praying, that YOUR love may abound+ yet more and more with accurate knowledge*+ and full discernment;*+
10 that YOU may make sure of the more important things,+ so that YOU may be flawless+ and not be stumbling+ others up to the day of Christ,
11 and may be filled with righteous fruit,+ which is through Jesus Christ, to God’s glory and praise.+
12 Now I desire YOU to know, brothers, that my affairs have turned out for the advancement of the good news+ rather than otherwise,
13 so that my bonds+ have become public knowledge+ in association with Christ among all the Prae·toʹri·an Guard* and all the rest;+
14 and most of the brothers in [the] Lord, feeling confidence by reason of my [prison] bonds, are showing all the more courage to speak the word of God fearlessly.+
15 True, some are preaching the Christ through envy and rivalry,+ but others also through goodwill.+
16 The latter are publicizing the Christ out of love, for they know I am set here for the defense+ of the good news;
17 but the former do it out of contentiousness,+ not with a pure motive, for they are supposing to stir up tribulation+ [for me] in my [prison] bonds.
18 What then? [Nothing,] except that in every way, whether in pretense+ or in truth, Christ is being publicized,+ and in this I rejoice. In fact, I will also keep on rejoicing,
19 for I know this will result in my salvation* through YOUR supplication+ and a supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ,+
20 in harmony with my eager expectation+ and hope+ that I shall not be ashamed+ in any respect, but that in all freeness of speech+ Christ will, as always before, so now be magnified by means of my body,+ whether through life or through death.+
21 For in my case to live is Christ,+ and to die,+ gain.
22 Now if it be to live on in the flesh, this is a fruitage of my work+—and yet which thing to select I do not make known.*
23 I am under pressure from these two things;+ but what I do desire is the releasing* and the being with Christ,+ for this, to be sure, is far better.+
24 However, for me to remain in the flesh is more necessary on YOUR account.+
25 So, being confident of this, I know I shall remain+ and shall abide with all of YOU for YOUR advancement+ and the joy that belongs to [YOUR] faith,
26 so that YOUR exultation may overflow in Christ Jesus by reason of me through my presence* again with YOU.
27 Only behave* in a manner worthy+ of the good news about the Christ, in order that, whether I come and see YOU or be absent, I may hear about the things which concern YOU, that YOU are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul*+ striving side by side for the faith of the good news,
28 and in no respect being frightened by YOUR opponents.+ This very thing is a proof of destruction for them, but of salvation for YOU;+ and this [indication] is from God,
29 because to YOU the privilege was given in behalf of Christ, not only to put YOUR faith+ in him, but also to suffer+ in his behalf.
30 For YOU have the same struggle as YOU saw in my case+ and as YOU now hear about in my case.+
Footnotes
^ Or, “deacons.” Gr., di·a·koʹnois, dative, pl.; Lat., di·aʹco·nis.
^ “Overseers.” Gr., e·pi·skoʹpois, dative, pl.; J17(Heb.), hap·peqi·dhimʹ, “the overseers.”
^ Lit., “sense perception.” Gr., ai·stheʹsei; Lat., senʹsu.
^ Lit., “in accurate knowledge.” Gr., en e·pi·gnoʹsei; Lat., in sci·enʹti·a.
^ The bodyguard of the Roman emperor.
^ Or, “my being released.”
^ Or, “thing to choose I do not know.”
^ For a discussion of “the releasing,” see App 5D.
^ See App 5B.
^ Or, “carry on as citizens.”
^ Or, “as one man.”
