Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

He exhorts them to increase in love, in knowledge, and in experience of divine things, makes mention of his imprisonment at Rome, is glad to hear Christ preached, and is content either to die or live. He prays them to lead a godly life, to be of one mind, and to fear no persecution.

1 Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.

² Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ I thank my God with every remembrance of you, ⁴ always in all my prayers for you, and pray with gladness, ⁵ because of the fellowship that you have had in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ And I am confident of this: that he who began a good work in you will go forth with it until the day of Jesus Christ – ⁷ as it is fitting for me so to judge of you all, because I have you in my heart, and have you also every one companions of grace with me, even in my bonds, as I defend and establish the gospel.

⁸ For God is my witness how greatly I long after you all from the very heart root in Jesus Christ. ⁹ And this I pray: that your love may increase more and more in knowledge and in all experience, ¹⁰ that you may accept the things of most value, that you may be pure, and such as would hurt no man’s conscience until the day of Christ – ¹¹ filled with the fruits of righteousness, which fruits come by Jesus Christ for the glory and laud of God.