Philippians 1:1–26

Thanksgiving

^1aPaul and ^bTimothy, ^cbond-servants of ^dChrist Jesus,

To ^eall the ^1fsaints in Christ Jesus who are in ^gPhilippi, ²including the ^hoverseers and ⁱdeacons:

^2aGrace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^3aI thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

⁴always offering prayer with joy in ^amy every prayer for you all,

⁵in view of your ^1aparticipation in the ^bgospel ^cfrom the first day until now.

⁶For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until ^athe day of Christ Jesus.

⁷¹For ^ait is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I ^bhave you in my heart, since both in my ^2cimprisonment and in the ^ddefense and confirmation of the ^egospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.

⁸For ^aGod is my witness, how I long for you all with the ¹affection of ^bChrist Jesus.

⁹And this I pray, that ^ayour love may abound still more and more in ^breal knowledge and all discernment,

¹⁰so that you may ^1aapprove the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless ²until ^bthe day of Christ;

¹¹having been filled with the ^afruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Gospel Is Preached

¹²Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances ^ahave turned out for the greater progress of the ^bgospel,

¹³so that my ^1aimprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole ²praetorian guard and to ^beveryone else,

¹⁴and that most of the ¹brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my ^2aimprisonment, have ^bfar more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

^15aSome, to be sure, are preaching Christ even ¹from envy and strife, but some also from good will;

¹⁶the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the ^agospel;

¹⁷the former proclaim Christ ^aout of selfish ambition ¹rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my ^2bimprisonment.

¹⁸What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will rejoice,

¹⁹for I know that this will turn out for my ¹deliverance ^athrough your ²prayers and the provision of ^bthe Spirit of Jesus Christ,

²⁰according to my ^aearnest expectation and ^bhope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with ^call boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be ^dexalted in my body, ^ewhether by life or by death.

To Live Is Christ

²¹For to me, ^ato live is Christ and to die is gain.

²²¹But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean ^afruitful labor for me; and I do not know ²which to choose.

²³But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the ^adesire to depart and ^bbe with Christ, for that is very much better;

²⁴yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

^25aConvinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy ¹in the faith,

²⁶so that your ^aproud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.