Philippians 1
Worldwide English (New Testament)
1 We, Paul and Timothy, are servants of Christ Jesus. We send greetings to all of God's people who belong to Christ Jesus and who live in the city of Philippi. We send greetings to the leaders of the church people and those who have been chosen to help them.
2 May the loving kindness of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.
3 Every time I think of you I thank God for you.
4 I have joy in my heart every time I ask God to help you.
5 I thank God for the joy we share in telling the good news from the very first day until now.
6 God began to do a good work in you. And I am sure that he will keep on doing it until he has finished it. He will keep on until the day Jesus Christ comes again.
7 I have a right to feel this way about you all because I love you very much. God is good to me and you all share in this goodness. You share in my troubles in prison. You share in my work of staying true to the good news of Jesus.
8 I love you all as Jesus Christ loves you. God knows that what I say is true.
10 When I talk to God I ask that you may have more and more love. I ask him that you will also know and understand, so that you will be able to see what things are right. I want you to be clean with nothing wrong in you when Jesus Christ comes back.
11 I want you to be doing right by the help of Jesus Christ. That will make people praise God and will show how great he is.
12 My brothers, I want you to know that what has happened to me has made more people know about the good news.
13 All the soldiers here and all the other people know that I am in prison because of Christ.
14 Because I am in prison, most of my Christian brothers are stronger for the Lord. They are strong in the faith now and they are not afraid to tell God's good news about Jesus Christ.
15 Some of them tell about Christ because they are jealous. They want to prove they are better than me. Some of them tell about Christ because they want to help me.
16 The first ones do it because they want to prove they are better than I am. They do not have a good reason. But they think they will make trouble for me while I am in prison.
17 These last ones do it because they love me. They know that I am here to speak for the good news.
18 But it does not matter. Every way, in the wrong way or in the right way, Christ is talked about. I will be glad because of that.
19 Yes, I will keep on being glad about it. I know that you will talk to God about me, and I know that the Spirit of Jesus Christ will help me. So I know that things will work out for me to be free.
20 I look forward to this very much and hope that I will not be ashamed at all. But I want to be very strong. I want to bring honour to Christ now as I always have. I can do this if I live or die.
21 All I live for is Christ, and to die would give me more blessing.
22 If I keep on living, then I will keep on doing my good work. I really do not know which I want more, to live or to die.
23 I am caught between these two. I want to die and go to be with Christ, which would be very much better.
24 But you need me more to stay here.
25 Because I am sure of this, I know that I will stay on and be here with you all. That will help you to be better Christians and happy ones.
26 Then you will be even more happy about what Christ Jesus has done for me because I have come back to you.
27 So whatever happens, live as people who believe the good news of Christ should live. Then, if I come and see you, or if I am away and hear about you, you will be standing strong together in one spirit. With one mind you will be working hard together for the good news.
28 Do not fear in any way those who are working against you. It is God who shows them they are lost and you are saved.
29 God has given you a special gift. You can not only believe in Christ but also suffer for him.
30 You have the same trouble which you saw me have. And you hear now that I still have it.
Philippians 1
King James Version
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.
Philippians 1
New King James Version
Greeting
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the [a]bishops and (A)deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thankfulness and Prayer
3 (B)I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in (C)every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 (D)for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun (E)a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness (F)which are by Jesus Christ, (G)to the glory and praise of God.
Christ Is Preached
12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident (H)to the whole [b]palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 [c]The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
To Live Is Christ
19 For I know that (I)this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but (J)with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life (K)or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I [d]cannot tell. 23 [e]For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a (L)desire to depart and be with Christ, which is (M)far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26 that (N)your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.
Striving and Suffering for Christ
27 Only (O)let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, (P)with one mind (Q)striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but [f]to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you (R)it has been granted on behalf of Christ, (S)not only to believe in Him, but also to (T)suffer for His sake, 30 (U)having the same conflict (V)which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
Footnotes
- Philippians 1:1 Lit. overseers
- Philippians 1:13 Or Praetorium
- Philippians 1:16 NU reverses vv. 16 and 17.
- Philippians 1:22 do not know
- Philippians 1:23 NU, M But
- Philippians 1:28 NU of your salvation
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
