Philippians 1

Greeting

1Paul and Timothy, servants
Or slaves (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)
of Christ Jesus,

To all the bsaints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the coverseers
Or bishops; Greek episkopoi
and edeacons:
Or servants, or ministers; Greek diakonoi


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

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 hI thank my God iin all my remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 jbecause of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6And I am sure of this, that he who began ka good work in you lwill bring it to completion at mthe day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you nin my heart, for you are all opartakers with me of grace,
Or  you all have fellowship with me in grace
both qin my imprisonment and in rthe defense and confirmation of the gospel.
8For sGod is my witness, thow I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And it is my prayer that uyour love may abound more and more, vwith knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve what is excellent, wand so be pure and blameless xfor the day of Christ, 11filled ywith the fruit of righteousness that comes zthrough Jesus Christ, aato the glory and praise of God.

The Advance of the Gospel

12I want you to know, brothers,
Or  brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God’s family, the church; also verse 14
that what has happened to me has really acserved to advance the gospel,
13so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard
Greek in the whole praetorium
and aeto all the rest that afmy imprisonment is for Christ.
14And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold agto speak the word
Some manuscripts add of God
without fear.

15 aiSome indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16The latter do it out of love, ajknowing that I am put here for akthe defense of the gospel. 17The former proclaim Christ alout of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

Yes, and I will rejoice,
19for I know that amthrough your prayers and anthe help of aothe Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20as it is my eager expectation and hope apthat I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full aqcourage now as always Christ arwill be honored in my body, aswhether by life or by death. 21For to me atto live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 auI am hard pressed between the two. My desire is avto depart and awbe with Christ, for that is far better. 24But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 axConvinced of this, ayI know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your azprogress and bajoy in the faith, 26so that in me bbyou may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

27Only bclet your manner of life be bdworthy
Greek  Only behave as citizens worthy
of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you bfthat you are standing firm in one spirit, with bgone mind bhstriving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
28and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is bia clear sign to them of their destruction, but bjof your salvation, and that from God. 29For bkit has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also blsuffer for his sake, 30engaged in the same bmconflict that bnyou saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Copyright information for ESV