Philippians 1

To Live Is Christ, and to Die Is Gain

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Greeting

1:1Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, together with overseers and deacons:

1:2grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

1:3I thank my God at every remembrance of you,

1:4always in every supplication of mine for all of you, making my supplication with joy,

1:5because of your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

1:6being confident of this very thing, that the One who began a good work in you will bring it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

1:7It is right for me to think this about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, since both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel you all share grace with me.

1:8For God is my witness how I long for all of you with the tender affection of Christ Jesus.

1:9And this I pray: that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and every kind of discernment,

1:10so that you may approve the things that matter, so that you may be pure and without offense for the day of Christ,

1:11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Advance of the Gospel

1:12Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have turned out rather for the advance of the gospel,

1:13so that my chains have become known as being in Christ throughout the whole praetorium and to all the rest,

1:14and most of the brothers, having gained confidence in the Lord because of my chains, dare much more to speak the word without fear.

1:15Some indeed proclaim Christ because of envy and strife, but some also because of goodwill.

1:16The latter do so from love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;

1:17but the former announce Christ from selfish ambition, not purely, supposing that they will stir up affliction in my chains.

1:18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is announced, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

1:19for I know that this will turn out for my salvation through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

1:20according to my eager expectation and hope that I will be put to shame in nothing, but with all boldness, as always, so also now, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death.

To Live Is Christ

1:21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

1:22But if it is to live in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me—and what I shall choose I do not know.

1:23But I am pressed by the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better,

1:24yet to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

1:25And being confident of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

1:26so that your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound because of me through my presence with you again.

Striving Together for the Faith

1:27Only conduct your common life worthily of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear about you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving together for the faith of the gospel,

1:28and are not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is for them an indication of destruction, but of your salvation, and this is from God,

1:29because it has been graciously granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for Him,

1:30having the same struggle which you saw in me and now hear to be in me.

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.