The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Philippians

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- Chapter 1 -

(Colossians 1:1–2; Philemon 1:1–3)

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all those set apart in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.

May grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

(1 Corinthians 1:4–9; Colossians 1:3–14)

I thank my God in every remembrance of you.

Always in every prayer of mine for you all, it is with joy that I make my prayer.

I give thanks for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.

I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you because I have you in my heart. You all have been my partners in grace both in my imprisonment and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel.

For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.

And I am praying this: That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and all understanding.

I pray for this so that you may approve what is excellent, and so you may be sincere and without offense on the day of Christ.

I pray that you also will be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Trials Advance the Gospel

(James 1:2–12)

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.

As a result, my chains in Christ came to light throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else.

And most of the brothers have far more confidence in the Lord because of my chains, and they have courage to fearlessly speak the word.

Some indeed even proclaim Christ out of envy and strife, and also others out of good will.

The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

But the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely. They think they will afflict me while I am in chains.

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

for I know that this will result in my deliverance through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

It is according to my eager expectation and certain hope that I will not be at all ashamed, and yet with all boldness, now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

To Live Is Christ

For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

But if I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which to choose? I do not know.

For I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, which is far better,

yet to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

And being convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith.

So that in me you may have increasing reasons to boast in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Worthy of the Gospel

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come to see you or am absent, I may hear about you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

And do not be frightened in any respect by those who are your opponents. This is a sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation-and this from God.

For it has been granted to you, for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake,

having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now you hear in me.

(Colossians 1:1–2; Philemon 1:1–3)

Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ,(a) to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers

(b)

and servants:(c)

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

Thanksgiving and Prayer

(1 Corinthians 1:4–9; Colossians 1:3–14)

I thank my God whenever I remember you,

always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy,

for your partnership(d) in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now;

being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.

For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.

This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ,

being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Trials Advance the Gospel

(James 1:2–12)

Now I desire to have you know, brothers,(e) that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News,

so that it became evident to the whole palace

(f)

guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ,

and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.

The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.

For I know that this will turn out to my salvation through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.

To Live Is Christ

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose.

But I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.

Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,

that your boasting

(g)

may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.

Worthy of the Gospel

Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,

having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.

(b)1:1 or, superintendents, or bishops

(d)1:5 The word translated “partnership” (κοινωνίᾳ) also means “fellowship” and “sharing”.

(e)1:12 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(f)1:13 or, praetorian

(g)1:26 or, rejoicing