Philippians 1

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

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

3 I thank my God every time I remember you.

4 In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy,

5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

6 being confident of this, 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 feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partners in grace with me.

8 God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Jesus Christ.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

10 so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

11 filled with the fruits of righteousness that come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually served to advance the gospel.

13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

14 And most of the brothers, confident in the Lord by my chains, now dare more greatly to speak the word without fear.

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

16 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can add to the distress of my chains.

17 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

18 What then is the issue? Just this: that in every way, whether by false motives or true, Christ is preached. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

19 because I know that through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, my distress will turn out for my deliverance.

20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always Christ will be exalted 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 I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know.

23 I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

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 will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

26 so that through my coming to you again your exultation in Christ Jesus will resound on account of me.

27 Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy 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 in one spirit, contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,

28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is indeed a clear sign of their destruction but of your salvation, and it is 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 encountering the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

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 Paul and Timothy, servants of JEsu Christ: To all the saints in Christ JEsu at Philippi, with the bishops and ministers.

2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Epistle on the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity).

3 I give thanks unto my God, as often as I remember you:

4 (which I do always in all my prayer for you all, and do the prayer with gladness),

5 About your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.

6 And I am of this in good confidence, that he which began the good work in you will perform it until the day of JESUS CHRIST.

7 Forasmuch then as it is expedient for me to think so highly of you all, because I have you in my heart in this my prison, wherein I answer for and confirm the gospel, as ye all are partakers with me of grace.

8 For God is my witness, how that I long for you all from the bottom of my heart in Jesus Christ.

9 And therefore I pray that your love may abound more and more in all knowledge and experience,

10 That ye may prove what is best, that ye may be pure and without offence unto the day of Christ,

11 filled with fruits of righteousness, which are done (in you) through JESUS CHRIST, to the glory and praise of GOD].

12 But I let you know, brethren, that, as it is with me, this is but more advised for the furtherance of the gospel,

13 So that my bonds were made manifest in Christ throughout the whole judgment hall, and among all the rest,

14 And many brethren, being confident in the Lord out of my bonds, have been the more bold to speak the word without timidity.

15 Though some preach Christ for the sake of hatred and strife, yet some for the sake of good opinion.

16 They proclaim Christ out of contention, and not purely: for they think to turn away a tribulation unto my bands.

17 But these for love: for they know that I lie here for the account of the gospel.

18 But what is the matter with him? That Christ only may be preached in all manner of things, whether by chance or by right; yet I rejoice therein, and will rejoice also.

19 For I know that through your prayer, and the ministration of the Spirit of JESUS CHRIST, I have obtained the same things unto salvation.

20 How that at last I wait and hope that I shall not be destroyed in any part, but that with all joy, as at all other times, so now also, Christ may be highly praised in my body, whether by life or by death.

21 For Christ is my life, and to die is my gain.

22 But as the life of the flesh worketh to bring forth more fruit, I know not which to choose.

23 For both are hard for me: I desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which also would be much better:

24 But it is more necessary to abide in the flesh for your sakes.

25 And in good confidence I know that I will abide and be with you all for the encouragement and joy of the faith,

26 That ye may greatly glory in Christ JEsu in me by my coming again unto you.

27 Only walk worthily of the gospel of Christ, that, whether I come and see you, or be absent from you, I may hear you, that ye stand in one spirit and one soul, and fight together with us for the faith of the gospel.

28 And in no wise be ye dismayed of the adversaries, which is a sign unto them of damnation, but unto you of salvation, and the same of God.

29 For unto you it is given to do for Christ's sake, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake,

30 And have the same fight which ye have seen in me, and now hear of me.