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Philippians 1-4
Worldwide English (New Testament)
Philippians 1-4
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.
2 Does Christ speak to you? Does love call to you? Do you have a part in the Holy Spirit? Do you have any love and care for others?
2 Then make me very, very happy. Live in happiness with one another. Have the same love for each other. Think the same way. Agree together about things. All have one purpose in mind.
3 Do not try to prove you are better than others. Do not be proud of yourselves, but be humble. Think of other people as being better than yourselves.
4 Each one of you should not think only about himself, but about other people also.
5 Think the same way Jesus Christ thought.
6 He was in every way like God. Yet he did not think that being equal to God was something he must hold on to.
7 He gave this up and became a servant. He was born a baby.
8 And when he was a man, he was humble. He was even willing to die, yes, to die on a cross.
9 That is why God has made him very great. God has given him a name above every name.
10 Everyone in heaven, everyone on earth, and everyone under the earth will kneel before the name of Jesus.
11 Everyone will admit that Jesus Christ is Lord. They will praise God the Father for this.
12 My dear people, you have always obeyed me. God has saved you from wrong ways. Now show this by the good things that you do. You must live that way, not only when I am with you, but much more now that I am not with you. Think of how wrong it will be if you do not. Try hard to work out how to do it.
13 For God is at work in you. He helps you want to do it. And he helps you do what he wants you to do.
14 Do everything without grumbling or making trouble.
15 In that way you will be completely good. No one will be able to say anything wrong about you. You will be God's good children living amongst bad people. Among them you will shine like lights in the world.
16 You will have the message of life for them. I will be proud of you when Christ comes. My work and trouble will not be for nothing.
17 The life you live because you believe in God is like a sacrifice. Even if I am killed, it will be like wine which people pour on a sacrifice. I am happy to do this for you, and I am happy about you.
18 In the same way you must be happy. And you must be happy about me.
19 I hope the Lord Jesus will let me send Timothy to you soon. I will be glad to hear about you.
20 I have no one like Timothy. He is troubled to know about you.
21 All the other people think only of themselves and not of Jesus Christ.
22 But you know what a good man Timothy is. You know that he has worked with me in telling the good news. He has worked just as a son works with his father.
23 So I hope to send him to you as soon as I see what happens to me.
24 And I trust that the Lord will let me come to you soon myself.
25 I thought I must send Epaphroditus, our Christian brother, back to you. He has worked with me and has also been a soldier of Christ with me. He was your messenger and he brought your gift for my needs.
26 I am sending him back because he has been lonely without you all. And his heart has been troubled because you heard that he was sick.
27 He was very sick! He almost died! But God was kind to him. He was not only kind to him, but also to me. God did not let me have one trouble after another.
28 I want even more to send him to you so that you will be happy when you see him again. And I will not be so troubled any more.
29 So receive him with much joy because he is a Christian brother. Give respect to men like him.
30 He almost died doing the work of Christ. You wished to help me, but you could not come. He came instead. He was willing to put his life in danger in order to help me.
3 Now, my brothers, I say be glad for what the Lord has done for you. It is not hard for me to write the same things to you over and over. And it is good for you.
2 Watch out for those teachers who are like dogs. Watch out for those teachers who do wrong things. And watch out for those teachers who want you to have the mark of a Jew cut in your bodies.
3 We have God's Spirit and we worship God in the Spirit. So we are the people who have the mark of God. Christ Jesus is our reason for being joyful. We do not trust in having a mark cut in our bodies.
4 And yet I could trust in things about myself if I wanted to. If any other man thinks that he has something about himself to trust in, I have more things.
5 I had the mark of a Jew cut in my body when I was eight days old. I was born of the people of Israel. I belong to the family of Benjamin, so I was born a true Jew. I was a Pharisee, so I obeyed the Jewish law very carefully.
6 I was so full of my own ideas that I sent Christians to prison. But I was a good man in the way the Jewish law calls a man good.
7 But all these things that might have helped me, I call them all nothing, because of Christ.
8 Yes, I call them all nothing, because to know Christ Jesus my Lord is much better. It is for his sake that I have given them all up and call them just dirt. I have lost them but gained Christ.
9 I do it so that I will belong to him. I do not want to be called good because of the Jewish law. But I want to be made good by believing in Christ. I want to be put right with God through faith alone.
10 I want to know Christ. I want to know the power that raised him from death. I want to have a part in his trouble. I want to be like him in his death.
11 Then I hope to be raised from death.
12 I do not mean to say that I have got there yet, or that I am perfect yet. But I am trying hard to get there, because that is why Christ saved me.
13 My brothers, I do not yet think that I have got all the things of Christ. But there is one thing that I am doing. I forget what is behind me and reach out to what is ahead of me.
14 Like a man running a race, I try hard to reach the line so that I will receive the prize. Because we belong to Christ Jesus, God is calling us to receive this prize that he has for us in heaven.
15 All of us who are grown-up Christians should feel this way. And if you do not think this way, God will show you the right way.
16 But no matter how far we have gone, we must keep on going that way. And let us do it together, having the same things in mind.
17 My brothers, do as I do, all of you. Look at the people who live the way we have lived.
18 Many people live as if they hated the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them, and I tell you now with tears.
19 They will be lost for ever. Their belly is the god they worship. They boast about things they should be ashamed of. They think only about things of this world.
20 But we belong to heaven. And we are waiting for the Saviour to come from heaven. He is the Lord Jesus Christ.
21 He will change our body which was made for this world. He will make it like his own wonderful body. He will do this by his power to make all things obey him.
4 And so, my brothers, I love you and want very much to be with you. I am very happy about you. And you are like a prize I have won in a race. My dear people, keep on standing firm and strong in the Lord.
2 I beg Euodia and Syntyche to agree to work together. I ask them to be of the same mind in the Lord.
3 I beg you, my real helper, to help these women. They worked hard with me in telling the good news. Clement and my other helpers worked hard with me too. Their names are in God's Book of Life.
4 Always be glad for what the Lord has done, I will say it again, be glad.
5 Let everyone know that you think kindly of others before yourselves. The Lord is near.
6 Do not worry about anything. Talk to God about everything. Thank him for what you have. Ask him for what you need.
7 Then God will give you peace, a peace which is too wonderful to understand. That peace will keep your hearts and minds safe as you trust in Christ Jesus.
8 Here, my brothers, are some things I want you to think about. Think about things that are true, honest, right, clean and pure, things that are lovely, and things that are good to talk about. If they are good, and if they bring praise to God, think about these things.
9 I taught you, and you learned things from me. You heard the things I said, and you saw the things I did. Do these same things yourselves. Then God who gives peace will be with you.
10 The Lord made me very happy to know that you were thinking about me again. Yes, I know you were thinking of me before, but you had no way to help me.
11 I do not mean that I needed it. I have learned to be satisfied with what I have. I am happy with whatever happens to me.
12 I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I am rich. No matter how things are, I have learned how to live: when I have plenty of food, or when I am hungry; when I have more things than I need, and when I do not have enough.
13 I can do all things because Christ gives me strength.
14 But you were kind to help me when I was in trouble.
15 When I first told the good news after I left the country of Macedonia, you were the only church people who helped me. You sent me money to pay my expenses.
16 Even when I was in the city of Thessalonica, you sent money to help me more than once.
17 It is not that I want the gift. But I want you to have more and more blessing because you give.
18 I have all I need and more. Yes, I have plenty because Epaphroditus gave me what you sent me. Your gift was like a sweet-smelling offering to God. It was a sacrifice which God took and it pleased him.
19 My God will give you everything you need. He has wonderful riches in heaven because of Christ Jesus.
20 Praise God our Father for ever. Yes, he will do it.
21 Please give my greetings to every one who belongs to Christ Jesus. The Christian brothers who are with me greet you.
22 All of God's people send greetings to you, especially the people of Caesar's house.
23 The loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen, may it be so!
Philippians 1-4
New International Version
Philippians 1-4
New International Version
1 Paul and Timothy,(A) servants of Christ Jesus,
To all God’s holy people(B) in Christ Jesus at Philippi,(C) together with the overseers(D) and deacons[a]:(E)
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(F)
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 I thank my God every time I remember you.(G) 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray(H) with joy 5 because of your partnership(I) in the gospel from the first day(J) until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion(K) until the day of Christ Jesus.(L)
7 It is right(M) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart(N) and, whether I am in chains(O) or defending(P) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify(Q) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love(R) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,(S) 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,(T) 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness(U) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains(V) for Christ. 14 And because of my chains,(W) most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.(X)
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.(Y) 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,(Z) not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.(AA) 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers(AB) and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ(AC) what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[d](AD) 20 I eagerly expect(AE) and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage(AF) so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,(AG) whether by life or by death.(AH) 21 For to me, to live is Christ(AI) and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart(AJ) and be with Christ,(AK) which is better by far; 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 I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
Life Worthy of the Gospel
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy(AL) 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(AM) in the one Spirit,[e] striving together(AN) as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you(AO) on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer(AP) for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle(AQ) you saw(AR) I had, and now hear(AS) that I still have.
Imitating Christ’s Humility
2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,(AT) if any tenderness and compassion,(AU) 2 then make my joy complete(AV) by being like-minded,(AW) having the same love, being one(AX) in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.(AY) Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,(AZ) 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.(BA)
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:(BB)
6 Who, being in very nature[f] God,(BC)
did not consider equality with God(BD) something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing(BE)
by taking the very nature[g] of a servant,(BF)
being made in human likeness.(BG)
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death(BH)—
even death on a cross!(BI)
9 Therefore God exalted him(BJ) to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,(BK)
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,(BL)
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,(BM)
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,(BN)
to the glory of God the Father.
Do Everything Without Grumbling
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,(BO) 13 for it is God who works in you(BP) to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.(BQ)
14 Do everything without grumbling(BR) or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless(BS) and pure, “children of God(BT) without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[h](BU) Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ(BV) that I did not run(BW) or labor in vain.(BX) 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering(BY) on the sacrifice(BZ) and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.(CA) 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy(CB) to you soon,(CC) that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him,(CD) who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests,(CE) not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father(CF) he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.(CG) 24 And I am confident(CH) in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker(CI) and fellow soldier,(CJ) who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.(CK) 26 For he longs for all of you(CL) and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him,(CM) so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,(CN) 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.(CO)
No Confidence in the Flesh
3 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,(CP) and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs,(CQ) those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision,(CR) we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,(CS) and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.(CT)
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised(CU) on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,(CV) of the tribe of Benjamin,(CW) a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;(CX) 6 as for zeal,(CY) persecuting the church;(CZ) as for righteousness based on the law,(DA) faultless.
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss(DB) for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing(DC) Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ(DD) 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,(DE) but that which is through faith in[i] Christ—the righteousness(DF) that comes from God on the basis of faith.(DG) 10 I want to know(DH) Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,(DI) becoming like him in his death,(DJ) 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection(DK) from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,(DL) but I press on to take hold(DM) of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.(DN) 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind(DO) and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on(DP) toward the goal to win the prize(DQ) for which God has called(DR) me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Following Paul’s Example
15 All of us, then, who are mature(DS) should take such a view of things.(DT) And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.(DU) 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17 Join together in following my example,(DV) brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.(DW) 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears,(DX) many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.(DY) 19 Their destiny(DZ) is destruction, their god is their stomach,(EA) and their glory is in their shame.(EB) Their mind is set on earthly things.(EC) 20 But our citizenship(ED) is in heaven.(EE) And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,(EF) 21 who, by the power(EG) that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies(EH) so that they will be like his glorious body.(EI)
Closing Appeal for Steadfastness and Unity
4 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for,(EJ) my joy and crown, stand firm(EK) in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind(EL) in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers,(EM) whose names are in the book of life.(EN)
Final Exhortations
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!(EO) 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.(EP) 6 Do not be anxious about anything,(EQ) but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.(ER) 7 And the peace of God,(ES) which transcends all understanding,(ET) will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.(EU) And the God of peace(EV) will be with you.
Thanks for Their Gifts
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me.(EW) Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content(EX) whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,(EY) whether living in plenty or in want.(EZ) 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.(FA)
14 Yet it was good of you to share(FB) in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days(FC) of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia,(FD) not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;(FE) 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica,(FF) you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.(FG) 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.(FH) 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus(FI) the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant(FJ) offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs(FK) according to the riches of his glory(FL) in Christ Jesus.
20 To our God and Father(FM) be glory for ever and ever. Amen.(FN)
Final Greetings
21 Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me(FO) send greetings. 22 All God’s people(FP) here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ(FQ) be with your spirit.(FR) Amen.[j]
Footnotes
- Philippians 1:1 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Romans 16:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.
- Philippians 1:12 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 14; and in 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21.
- Philippians 1:13 Or whole palace
- Philippians 1:19 Or vindication; or salvation
- Philippians 1:27 Or in one spirit
- Philippians 2:6 Or in the form of
- Philippians 2:7 Or the form
- Philippians 2:15 Deut. 32:5
- Philippians 3:9 Or through the faithfulness of
- Philippians 4:23 Some manuscripts do not have Amen.
Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)
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