PHILIPPIANS

GREETING

1 Paula and Timothy,b servants of Christ Jesus:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,c including the overseersd and deacons.e

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

THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER

3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,A 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first dayf until now.g 6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good workh in youB will carry it on to completioni until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 Indeed, it is rightj for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart,C and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonmentk and in the defensel and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness,m how deeply I miss all of youn with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And I pray this: that your loveo will keep on growingp in knowledge and every kind of discernment,q 10 so that you may approve the things that are superiorr and may be pures and blamelesst in the day of Christ,u 11 filled with the fruitv of righteousnessw that comes through Jesus Christ to the gloryx and praise of God.

ADVANCE OF THE GOSPEL

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel,y 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. 14 Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the wordD,z fearlessly. 15 To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry,aa but others out of good will. 16 These preach out of love,ab knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition,ac not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment. 18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motivesad or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice 19 because I know this will lead to my salvationE,ae through your prayers and help from the Spiritaf of Jesus Christ.ag 20 My eager expectation and hopeah is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all courage, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by lifeai or by death.aj

LIVING IS CHRIST

21 For me, to live is Christak and to die is gain.al 22 Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitfulam workan for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. 23 I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christao—which is far betterap—24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,aq 26 so that, because of my coming to you again, your boastingar in Christ Jesusas may abound.

27 Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your lifeat worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firmau in oneav spirit, in one accord,F contending together for the faithaw of the gospel, 28 not being frightened in any way by your opponents.ax This is a sign of destruction for them,ay but of your salvationaz—and this is from God. 29 For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believeba in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are engaged in the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.

CHRISTIAN HUMILITY

2 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love,a if any fellowship with the Spirit,b if any affection and mercy,c 2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way,d having the same love,e united in spirit, intent on onef purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambitiong or conceit,h but in humilityi consider others as more importantj than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests,k but rather to the interests of others.l

CHRIST’S HUMILITY AND EXALTATION

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider equality with Godm

as something to be exploited.A

7 Instead he emptied himselfn

by assuming the form of a servant,o

taking on the likeness of humanity.p

And when he had come as a man,

8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient

to the point of death—

even to death on a cross.q

9 For this reason God highly exalted himr

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee will bows—

in heavent and on earth

and under the earthu—

11 and every tonguev will confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the gloryw of God the Father.

LIGHTS IN THE WORLD

12 Therefore, my dear friends,x just as you have always obeyed,y so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumblingz and arguing,aa 15 so that you may be blamelessab and pure,ac children of God who are faultlessad in a crookedae and pervertedaf generation,ag among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the wordah of life. Then I can boastai in the day of Christaj that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured outak as a drink offeringal on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

TIMOTHY AND EPAPHRODITUS

19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesusam to send Timothyan to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. 20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21 all seek their own interests,ao not those of Jesus Christ.ap 22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.aq

25 But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditusar—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my needas—26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30 because he came close to death for the workat of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.

KNOWING CHRIST

3 In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoiceau in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.

2 Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evilav workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision,aw the ones who worship by the Spiritax of God, boast in Christ Jesus,ay and do not put confidence in the flesh—4 although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day;az of the nation of Israel,a of the tribe of Benjamin,b a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law,c a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal,d persecutinge the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law,f blameless.g

7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing valueh of knowing Christi Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christj 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law,k but one that is through faith in ChristA—the righteousness from God based on faith.l 10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings,m being conformed to his death,n 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

REACHING FORWARD TO GOD’S GOAL

12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take holdo of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do notB consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behindp and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenlyC call in Christ Jesus.q 15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will revealr this also to you. 16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. 17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the crosss of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their gloryt is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things, 20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his gloriousu body,v by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.

4 So then, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown,w in this manner stand firmx in the Lord, dear friends.

PRACTICAL COUNSEL

2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, true partner,D to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousnessE be known to everyone. The Lord is near.y 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpassesz all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.aa

8 FinallyF brothers and sisters, whatever is true,ab whatever is honorable,ac whatever is just,ad whatever is pure,ae whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellenceaf and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and receivedag and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

APPRECIATION OF SUPPORT

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once againah you renewed your care for me.ai You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it. 11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. 12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot.aj In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through himG who strengthens me.ak 14 Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship.

15 And you Philippiansal know that in the early days of the gospel,am when I left Macedonia,an no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 16 For even in Thessalonicaao you sent gifts for my needap several times. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profitH,aq that is increasing to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full,a and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied,A having received from Epaphroditusb what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasingc to God. 19 And my Godd will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Fathere be glory forever and ever.f Amen.g

FINAL GREETINGS

21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you greetings. 22 All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’sh household.i 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.B,j