Philippians (The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the )

Paul, and Timothy, slaves of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and ministers:

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

I thank my God on all the remembrance of you,

always in my every prayer on your behalf making [my] prayer with joy

over your fellowship in the gospel, from [the] first day until now,

being persuaded of this very thing, that the [One] having begun a good work in you will finish [it] until [the] day of Jesus Christ;

as it is righteous for me to think this of you all because you have me in [your] heart, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all sharers of the grace with me.

For God is my witness how I long after you all in [the] bowels of Jesus Christ.

And this I pray, that your love may yet abound more and more in full knowledge and all perception,

for you [to] distinguish the things that differ, that you may be sincere and without blame for [the] day of Christ,

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

But I want you to know, brothers, that the things concerning me have more fully come to [the] advancement of the gospel,

so that in all the praetorium, and to all the rest, my bonds have become clearly revealed [to be] in Christ.

And the most of the brothers in [the] Lord, being confident in my bonds, more exceedingly dare to speak the word fearlessly.

Some, indeed, even proclaim Christ because of envy and strife, but some also because of good will.

These, indeed, announce Christ out of party spirit, not sincerely, thinking to add affliction to my bonds.

But these [others] out of love, knowing that I am set for defense of the gospel.

For what? Yet in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is announced, and I rejoice in this; yet also I will rejoice.

For I know that this will result in deliverance to me through your petition and [the] supply of [the] Spirit of Jesus Christ,

according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but as always in all boldness even now Christ will be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death.

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

But if [I] live in [the] flesh, this to me [is] fruit of [my] labor, and what I shall choose I do not know.

For I am pressed together by the two: having a desire to depart and be with Christ, [which is] far better,

but to remain in the flesh [is] more necessary on account of you.

And being persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with you all for your advancement and joy of faith,

so that your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.

Only behave yourself worthily of the gospel of Christ, so that whether coming and seeing you or being absent, I hear the things concerning you, that you stand fast in one spirit and one soul, striving together in the faith of the gospel,

and not being terrified in anything by those who oppose, which to them truly is a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and this from God;

because it was granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on His behalf,

having the same struggle which you saw in me and now hear [to be] in me.