Greeting

1Paul and Timothy, servants of ⁰Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

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

Paul's Prayer for the Philippians

3I give thanks to my God every time I remember you,

4always praying with joy in every one of my prayers for you all

5because of your partnership with me in the gospel from the first day until now.

6I am confident that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of ¹Christ Jesus.

7It is right for me to think this way about you all, since I have you in my heart. For you all share with me in God's grace, both in my imprisonment and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel.

8For God is my witness that I long for you all with the affection of ²Jesus Christ.

9And I pray that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

10so that you may approve what is excellent in order to be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,

11filled with the ³fruits of righteousness that come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul's Imprisonment Advances the Gospel

12Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually helped advance the gospel,

13so that it has become known among the entire imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ.

14And the greater part of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence through my imprisonment and are far more bold to speak the ⁴word without fear.

15Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others do it out of good will.

16⁵The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to ⁶add affliction to me in my imprisonment.

17The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

18But what does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.

19For I know that this will result in my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

20My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be put to shame in anything, but will speak with complete boldness so that now, as always, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether I live or die.

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

22But if I am to live in the flesh, it will mean fruit from my labor. Yet I do not know which I prefer.

23I am hard pressed between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ, ⁷which is far better.

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

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

26so that your boasting may abound in Christ Jesus because of me when I come to you again.

27Only live as citizens in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving together with one mind for the faith of the gospel,

28and not being intimidated in any way by those who oppose you. For them this is an indication of ⁸destruction, but for you it is an indication of salvation, and that from God.

29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,

30since you are experiencing the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.