Philippians 1:9-2:15

English Standard Version

⁹And it is my prayer that ^(A)your love may abound more and more, ^(B)with knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰so that you may approve what is excellent, ^(C)and so be pure and blameless ^(D)for the day of Christ, ¹¹filled ^(E)with the fruit of righteousness that comes ^(F)through Jesus Christ, ^(G)to the glory and praise of God.

The Advance of the Gospel

¹²I want you to know, brothers,^[a] that what has happened to me has really ^(H)served to advance the gospel, ¹³so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard^[b] and ^(I)to all the rest that ^(J)my imprisonment is for Christ. ¹⁴And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold ^(K)to speak the word^[c] without fear.

¹⁵^(L)Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. ¹⁶The latter do it out of love, ^(M)knowing that I am put here for ^(N)the defense of the gospel. ¹⁷The former proclaim Christ ^(O)out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. ¹⁸What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

Yes, and I will rejoice, ¹⁹for I know that ^(P)through your prayers and ^(Q)the help of ^(R)the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, ²⁰as it is my eager expectation and hope ^(S)that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full ^(T)courage now as always Christ ^(U)will be honored in my body, ^(V)whether by life or by death. ²¹For to me ^(W)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²²If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. ²³^(X)I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is ^(Y)to depart and ^(Z)be with Christ, for that is far better. ²⁴But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. ²⁵^(AA)Convinced of this, ^(AB)I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your ^(AC)progress and ^(AD)joy in the faith, ²⁶so that in me ^(AE)you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

²⁷Only ^(AF)let your manner of life be ^(AG)worthy^[d] of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you ^(AH)that you are standing firm in one spirit, with ^(AI)one mind ^(AJ)striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is ^(AK)a clear sign to them of their destruction, but ^(AL)of your salvation, and that from God. ²⁹For ^(AM)it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also ^(AN)suffer for his sake, ³⁰engaged in the same ^(AO)conflict that ^(AP)you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Christ's Example of Humility

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from ^(AQ)love, any ^(AR)participation in the Spirit, any ^(AS)affection and sympathy, ²^(AT)complete my joy by being ^(AU)of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³Do nothing from ^(AV)selfish ambition or ^(AW)conceit, but in ^(AX)humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴Let each of you ^(AY)look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵^(AZ)Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,^[e] ⁶^(BA)who, though he was in ^(BB)the form of God, did not count equality with God ^(BC)a thing to be grasped,^[f] ⁷but ^(BD)emptied himself, by taking the form of a ^(BE)servant,^[g] ^(BF)being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by ^(BG)becoming obedient to the point of death, ^(BH)even death on a cross. ⁹^(BI)Therefore ^(BJ)God has ^(BK)highly exalted him and bestowed on him ^(BL)the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus ^(BM)every knee should bow, ^(BN)in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and ^(BO)every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is ^(BP)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lights in the World

¹²Therefore, my beloved, ^(BQ)as you have always ^(BR)obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for ^(BS)it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for ^(BT)his good pleasure.

¹⁴Do all things ^(BU)without grumbling or ^(BV)disputing, ¹⁵that you may be blameless and innocent, ^(BW)children of God ^(BX)without blemish ^(BY)in the midst of ^(BZ)a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine ^(CA)as lights in the world,

Footnotes

Philippians 1:12 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 14
Philippians 1:13 Greek in the whole praetorium
Philippians 1:14 Some manuscripts add of God
Philippians 1:27 Greek Only behave as citizens worthy
Philippians 2:5 Or which was also in Christ Jesus
Philippians 2:6 Or a thing to be held on to for advantage
Philippians 2:7 Or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)