Philippians 1
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
I. Address
Chapter 1
Greeting.[a] 1 Paul and Timothy, slaves[b] of Christ Jesus, to all the holy ones in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and ministers:(A) 2 (B)grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.[c]
Thanksgiving.[d] 3 I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you,(C) 4 praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, 5 because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now. 6 (D)I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.[e] 7 It is right that I should think this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, you who are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.(E) 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception,(F) 10 to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,(G) 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.(H)
II. Progress of the Gospel[f]
12 (I)I want you to know, brothers, that my situation has turned out rather to advance the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment has become well known in Christ throughout the whole praetorium[g] and to all the rest,(J) 14 [h]and so that the majority of the brothers, having taken encouragement in the Lord from my imprisonment, dare more than ever to proclaim the word fearlessly.
15 Of course, some preach Christ from envy and rivalry, others from good will. 16 The latter act out of love, aware that I am here for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not from pure motives, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment. 18 What difference does it make, as long as in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed?(K) And in that I rejoice.[i]
Indeed I shall continue to rejoice, 19 [j]for I know that this will result in deliverance for me[k] through your prayers and support from the Spirit of Jesus Christ.(L) 20 My eager expectation and hope is that I shall not be put to shame in any way, but that with all boldness, now as always, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.(M) 21 For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.(N) 22 If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose.(O) 23 I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, [for] that is far better.(P) 24 Yet that I remain [in] the flesh is more necessary for your benefit. 25 And this I know with confidence, that I shall remain and continue in the service of all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound on account of me when I come to you again.
III. Instructions for the Community
Steadfastness in Faith.[l] 27 Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear news of you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind struggling together for the faith of the gospel,(Q) 28 not intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is proof to them of destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. 29 For to you has been granted, for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him.(R) 30 Yours is the same struggle(S) as you saw in me and now hear about me.[m]
Footnotes
- 1:1–2 See note on Rom 1:1–7, concerning the greeting.
- 1:1 Slaves: Paul usually refers to himself at the start of a letter as an apostle. Here he substitutes a term suggesting the unconditional obligation of himself and Timothy to the service of Christ, probably because, in view of the good relationship with the Philippians, he wishes to stress his status as a co-servant rather than emphasize his apostolic authority. Reference to Timothy is a courtesy: Paul alone writes the letter, as the singular verb throughout shows (Phil 1:3–26), and the reference (Phil 2:19–24) to Timothy in the third person. Overseers: the Greek term episkopos literally means “one who oversees” or “one who supervises,” but since the second century it has come to designate the “bishop,” the official who heads a local church. In New Testament times this office had not yet developed into the form that it later assumed, though it seems to be well on the way to such development in the Pastorals; see 1 Tm 3:2 and Ti 1:7, where it is translated bishop. At Philippi, however (and at Ephesus, according to Acts 20:28), there was more than one episkopos, and the precise function of these officials is uncertain. In order to distinguish this office from the later stages into which it developed, the term is here translated as overseers. Ministers: the Greek term diakonoi is used frequently in the New Testament to designate “servants,” “attendants,” or “ministers.” Paul refers to himself and to other apostles as “ministers of God” (2 Cor 6:4) or “ministers of Christ” (2 Cor 11:23). In the Pastorals (1 Tm 3:8, 12) the diakonos has become an established official in the local church; hence the term is there translated as deacon. The diakonoi at Philippi seem to represent an earlier stage of development of the office; we are uncertain about their precise functions. Hence the term is here translated as ministers. See Rom 16:1, where Phoebe is described as a diakonos (minister) of the church of Cenchreae.
- 1:2 The gifts come from Christ the Lord, not simply through him from the Father; compare the christology in Phil 2:6–11.
- 1:3–11 As in Rom 1:8–15 and all the Pauline letters except Galatians, a thanksgiving follows, including a direct prayer for the Philippians (Phil 1:9–11); see note on Rom 1:8. On their partnership for the gospel (Phil 1:5), cf. Phil 1:29–30; 4:10–20. Their devotion to the faith and to Paul made them his pride and joy (Phil 4:1). The characteristics thus manifested are evidence of the community’s continuing preparation for the Lord’s parousia (Phil 1:6, 10). Paul’s especially warm relationship with the Philippians is suggested here (Phil 1:7–8) as elsewhere in the letter. The eschatology serves to underscore a concern for ethical growth (Eph 1:9–11), which appears throughout the letter.
- 1:6 The day of Christ Jesus: the parousia or triumphant return of Christ, when those loyal to him will be with him and share in his eternal glory; cf. Phil 1:10; 2:16; 3:20–21; 1 Thes 4:17; 5:10; 2 Thes 1:10; 1 Cor 1:8.
- 1:12–26 The body of the letter begins with an account of Paul’s present situation, i.e., his imprisonment (Phil 1:12–13; see Introduction), and then goes on with advice for the Philippians (Phil 1:27–2:18). The advance of the gospel (Phil 1:12) and the progress of the Philippians in the faith (Phil 1:25) frame what is said.
- 1:13 Praetorium: either the praetorian guard in the city where Paul was imprisoned or the governor’s official residence in a Roman province (cf. Mk 15:16; Acts 23:35). See Introduction on possible sites.
- 1:14–18 Although Paul is imprisoned, Christians there nonetheless go on preaching Christ. But they do so with varied motives, some with personal hostility toward Paul, others out of personal ambition.
- 1:18 Rejoice: a major theme in the letter; see Introduction.
- 1:19–25 Paul earnestly debates his prospects of martyrdom or continued missionary labor. While he may long to depart this life and thus be with Christ (Phil 1:23), his overall and final expectation is that he will be delivered from this imprisonment and continue in the service of the Philippians and of others (Phil 1:19, 25; Phil 2:24). In either case, Christ is central (Phil 1:20–21); if to live means Christ for Paul, death means to be united with Christ in a deeper sense.
- 1:19 Result in deliverance for me: an echo of Jb 13:16, hoping that God will turn suffering to ultimate good and deliverance from evil.
- 1:27–30 Ethical admonition begins at this early point in the letter, emphasizing steadfastness and congregational unity in the face of possible suffering. The opponents (Phil 1:28) are those in Philippi, probably pagans, who oppose the gospel cause. This is proof . .. (Phil 1:28) may refer to the whole outlook and conduct of the Philippians, turning out for their salvation but to the judgment of the opponents (cf. 2 Cor 2:15–16), or possibly the sentence refers to the opinion of the opponents, who hold that the obstinacy of the Christians points to the destruction of such people as defy Roman authority (though in reality, Paul holds, such faithfulness leads to salvation).
- 1:30 A reference to Paul’s earlier imprisonment in Philippi (Acts 16:19–24; 1 Thes 2:2) and to his present confinement.
Kehillah in Philippi 1
Orthodox Jewish Bible
1 From Sha’ul and Timotiyos, servants of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua; To all the Kadoshim in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua who are in the city of Philippi with the supervising mashgichim ruchaniyim (spiritual overseers, zekenim, mivakkerim, supervisors) and the klei kodesh (ministers), the ministering messianic shammashim.
2 Chen v’chesed Hashem and shalom Hashem from Elohim Avinu and Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.
3 Modeh Ani (I thank) my G-d upon every zikaron (remembrance) of you,
4 Always in every tefillah of mine on behalf of all of you, davening with simcha, making techinnah (supplication)
5 In view of your deveykus Hashem, your chavrusa partnership in the Besuras HaGeulah from day one until now.
6 Being convinced of this: that He who began a pe’ulah hatovah (good work 2:13) in you, will bring that mitzvoh to completion [TEHILLIM 138:8] by Yom Hashem, the Yom Adoneinu, Moshiach Yehoshua [1:10; 2:16].
7 It is in fact b’tzedek for me to have hitbonenut (profound contemplation) about you all because I hold you in my lev with hartzige (heartfelt) sincerity, both in regard to my sharsherot (prison chains) and in the apologetic hitstaddekut (defense) and vindicatory work for the Besuras HaGeulah, you being all deveykus (attachment to G-d) participators in the Chen v’Chesed Hashem given to me.
8 For der Oybershter is mine eidus (G-d is my witness) how I yearn for all of you with the ahavas Moshiach Yehoshua.
9 And my tefillah (prayer) is this, that your ahavah (love) [in Moshiach] may yet increase more and more in profound da’as and binah
10 To help you approve the feste (excellent) things of musar (moral discipline) that matter, that you may be sincere and without michshol (stumbling block) of blame [2:15] in the Yom HaMoshiach [1:6; 2:16],
11 Having been filled with the p’ri Tzedek (fruit of righteousness) through Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua to the kavod Hashem and His tiferet (splendor).
12 I want you to have da’as, Achim b’Moshiach, that the things concerning me have fallen out to an even greater advancement (1:25) of the Besuras HaGeulah [2Ti 2:9].
13 So that my sharsherot (chains—1:7) have become a hisgalus (revelation) in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach! In all the imperial guard and the public at large!
14 And most of the Achim b’Adoneinu, having been strengthened in bitachon by my sharsherot (chains), are more readily willing to dare to fearlessly proclaim the Dvar Hashem.
15 Indeed some darshanim (preachers) preach their derashot (sermons) out of a ruach that is mekanne (jealous, envious) and one of madon (strife); but some have derashot proclaiming Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, and these darshanim have kavvanah tovah (good intention).
16 These latter proclaim Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach out of a ruach of ahavah, having da’as that the purpose of my divinely destined appointment here is for the hitstaddekut (apologetic defense) of the Besuras HaGeulah.
17 But those other ones preach Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach out of anochiyut (selfishness 2:3), not with a lev tahor (pure in heart) motive, lu yetzuuyar (assuming) by means of my sharsherot (1:13-14) to stir up tzoros.
18 Nu? Whether the maggidim are or are not perfect in their intent, the significant thing is that Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach is preached! And in this I have simcha. And I will go right on having simcha!
19 For, I have da’as that through your tefillos for me and through the ezrah (aid) given by the Ruach Moshiach, this will turn out for my Yeshu’ah (rescue, salvation 1:28; 2:12) [Ro 8:28].
20 It is my confident tikvah that in nothing I will be put to bushah (shame), but with all ometz lev (courage, boldness YEHOSHUA 1:7) as always, even now, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach will be magnified in my basar (1:13), whether through Chayyim (Life) or through Mavet (Death).
21 For to me to live is Moshiach [Ga 2:20] and to die is revach (gain, profit, hanaa).
22 But if it means I am to go on living in the basar, this for me is p’ri for Hashem in the work of avodas kodesh ministry. What will I choose? I do not have da’as.
23 I am kleir (deliberating). I am pulled two drakhim (ways) by a happy dilemma, on the one tzad (side) having the desire to depart and be with Moshiach, for this is much better [2C 5:8].
24 But on the other tzad (side) to remain in the basar is more necessary for your sake.
25 And having been convinced of this fact, I have da’as that I blaib (remain, continue unchanged) and will continue with all of you, for your advancement (1:12) and simcha of the [Orthodox Jewish] Emunah [cf. 1:27; 1Ti 3:9; 4:1,6; 5:8; 6:10,21; Yd 3],
26 With the ultimate aim that by coming to you again your glorying may abound in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.
27 Only one thing: conduct in practice your torat haEzrakhut (citizenship, see 3:20) worthily of the Besuras HaGeulah of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear concerning you that you are standing like a ma’oz (fortress, bastion) in one ruach, with one neshamah, contending for the Emunah (Yd 3; Pp 4:3) of the Besuras HaGeulah.
28 And, I might add, not having pachad (fear, terror) in reaction to anything as far as the mitnaggedim (the ones opposing) are concerned, which is a proof to them of their churban (destruction), but of your Yeshu’ah (salvation 1:19; 2:12], and this from Hashem.
29 For to you it was given on behalf of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, not only to have emunah in him but also on behalf of him to be laden with the burden of Messianic yissurim (sufferings 3:10),
30 With you having the same struggle, which you saw in me [Ac 16:22] and now hear to be in me [1:13].
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