Greeting
1 Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, 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.
Thanksgiving
3 I give thanks to my God upon my every remembrance of you,[a] 4 always in my every prayer for all of you, making the prayer with joy, 5 because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 convinced of this same thing, that the one who began a good work in you will finish it[b] until the day of Christ Jesus, 7 just as it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since[c] both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you are sharers of grace with me. 8 For God is my witness, that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Prayer for Spiritual Maturity
9 And this I pray: that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is superior, in order that you may be sincere and blameless in[d] the day of Christ, 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
The Progress of the Gospel
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances[e] have happened instead for the progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in Christ has become known in the whole praetorium[f] and to all the rest, 14 and most of the brothers, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, dare even more to speak the word without fear. 15 Some even because of envy and strife preach Christ, but some also because of good will. 16 The latter do so from love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction in my imprisonment. 18 What is the result?[g] Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. But also I will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out to me for deliverance through your prayer and the support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my eager expectation and hope, that I will be put to shame in nothing, but with all boldness, even now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether through life or through death. 21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if it is to live in the flesh, this is fruitful work for me, and which I will prefer I do not know. 23 But I am hard pressed between the two options[h], having the desire to depart and to be with Christ, for this is very much better[i]. 24 But to stay on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 And because I am[j] convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that what you can be proud of may increase in Christ Jesus because of me through my return again to you.
Stand Firm for the Gospel
27 Only lead your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent I hear your circumstances[k], that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul contending side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not letting yourselves be intimidated in anything by your opponents, which is a sign of destruction to them, but of your salvation, and this from God, 29 because to you has been graciously granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on behalf of him, 30 having the same struggle which you saw in me and now hear about in me.
Footnotes
- Philippians 1:3 Or “upon your every remembrance of me”
- Philippians 1:6 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Philippians 1:7 Here “since” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as causal
- Philippians 1:10 Or “for,” or “until”
- Philippians 1:12 Literally “the things with me”
- Philippians 1:13 Or “praetorian guard,” or “imperial guard”
- Philippians 1:18 Literally “for what”
- Philippians 1:23 Literally “by the two”
- Philippians 1:23 Literally “for this is more better by much”
- Philippians 1:25 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“convinced”) which is understood as causal
- Philippians 1:27 Literally “the things concerning you”