Philippians 1
New American Standard Bible
Thanksgiving
1 (A)Paul and (B)Timothy, (C)bond-servants of (D)Christ Jesus,
To (E)all the [a](F)saints in Christ Jesus who are in (G)Philippi, [b]including the (H)overseers and (I)deacons: 2 (J)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 (K)I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in (L)my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your [c](M)participation in the (N)gospel (O)from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work [d]among you will complete it [e]by (P)the day of Christ Jesus. 7 [f]For (Q)it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I (R)have you in my heart, since both in my [g](S)imprisonment and in the (T)defense and confirmation of the (U)gospel, you all are [h]partakers of grace with me. 8 For (V)God is my witness, how I long for you all with the [i]affection of (W)Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, that (X)your love may overflow still more and more in (Y)real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may [j](Z)discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for (AA)the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the (AB)fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.
The Gospel Is Preached
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances (AC)have turned out for the greater progress of the (AD)gospel, 13 so that my [k](AE)imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the [l]praetorian guard and to (AF)everyone else, 14 and that most of the brothers and sisters, [m]trusting in the Lord because of my [n](AG)imprisonment, have (AH)far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. 15 (AI)Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even [o]from envy and strife, but some also [p]from goodwill; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the (AJ)gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ (AK)out of selfish ambition [q]rather than from pure motives, thinking that they are causing me distress in my [r](AL)imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.
But not only that, I also will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my [s]deliverance (AM)through your [t]prayers and the provision of (AN)the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my (AO)eager expectation and (AP)hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with (AQ)all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be (AR)exalted in my body, (AS)whether by life or by death.
To Live Is Christ
21 For to me, (AT)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 [u]But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean (AU)fruitful labor for me; and I do not know [v]which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the (AV)desire to depart and (AW)be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes. 25 (AX)Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy [w]in the faith, 26 so that your (AY)pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again.
27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner (AZ)worthy of the (BA)gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are (BB)standing firm in (BC)one spirit, with one [x]mind (BD)striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28 and in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a (BE)sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and this too, from God. 29 For to you (BF)it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to (BG)suffer on His behalf, 30 experiencing the same (BH)conflict which (BI)you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
Footnotes
- Philippians 1:1 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Philippians 1:1 Lit with
- Philippians 1:5 Or sharing in the preaching of the gospel
- Philippians 1:6 Or in
- Philippians 1:6 Lit until
- Philippians 1:7 Lit Just as it is right
- Philippians 1:7 Lit bonds
- Philippians 1:7 Or partners in
- Philippians 1:8 Lit inward parts
- Philippians 1:10 Or approve the things that matter
- Philippians 1:13 Lit bonds
- Philippians 1:13 Or governor’s palace
- Philippians 1:14 Or in the Lord, trusting because of
- Philippians 1:14 Lit bonds
- Philippians 1:15 Lit because of
- Philippians 1:15 Lit because of
- Philippians 1:17 Lit not sincerely
- Philippians 1:17 Lit bonds
- Philippians 1:19 Or salvation
- Philippians 1:19 Lit supplication
- Philippians 1:22 Or But if to live in the flesh, this will be fruitful labor for me, then I
- Philippians 1:22 Lit what I shall choose
- Philippians 1:25 Lit of
- Philippians 1:27 Lit soul
Philippians 1
Evangelical Heritage Version
Greeting
1 Paul and Timothy, servants 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.
Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 Every time I pray for all of you, I always pray with joy, 5 because of your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am convinced of this very thing: that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 I am equally convinced that it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, for both in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all share in this grace with me. 8 Yes, God is my witness of how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And I pray that your love may still increase more and more in knowledge and every insight. 10 This will result in your approval of the things that really matter, so that you will be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Christ Is Proclaimed
12 I want you to know, brothers,[a] that the things which happened to me actually took place to advance the gospel. 13 And so it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to all the rest, that I am in chains because of Christ.[b] 14 And, through my chains, the majority of the brothers in the Lord have become much more confident about daring to speak the word of God[c] fearlessly. 15 Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, and others out of good will. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, but thinking they can cause trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 What does it matter? Only this, that in every way, whether for outward appearance or for the truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.
To Live Is Christ, to Die Is Gain
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 because I know that this will turn out for my deliverance, through your prayer and the support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 20 This matches my earnest expectation and hope that I will in no way be put to shame, but with all boldness, as always, so even now, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 Yes, for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to go on living in the flesh, that will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet which should I prefer? I do not know. 23 I am pulled in two directions, because I have the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far. 24 But, it is more necessary for your sake that I remain in the flesh. 25 And since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with all of you, for your progress and joy in the faith. 26 And so by my coming to you again, my goal is to give you even more reason to boast in Christ Jesus.
Stand Firm
27 Just conduct yourselves in a way that is worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come to see you or am absent, I may hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, contending together with one soul for the faith of the gospel, 28 not frightened in any way by the adversaries. This is a sign for them of their destruction and of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been graciously granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 having the same kind of struggle that you saw I was in, and that you now hear I am still experiencing.
Footnotes
- Philippians 1:12 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female.
- Philippians 1:13 Or my chains are in Christ
- Philippians 1:14 Some witnesses to the text omit of God. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.