Philippians 1

1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, and to the elders and deacons.

2 Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Upon every remembrance of you I am ever thanking my God for you all;

4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

in every petition of mine in your behalf I am offering my prayer with joy for your fellowship in forwarding the gospel,

5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

from the first day you heard it until now.

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:

Of this I am fully persuaded, that He who has begun a good work in you will go on completing it until the day of Jesus Christ.

7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

It is but just that I should be thus mindful of you all, because I have you in my heart, and because in these fetters of mine and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel you are all my fellow partners in the privilege.

8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

God is my witness how I yearn for you all in the tenderness of Christ Jesus.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment;

And it is my prayer that your love may abound yet more and more in intelligence and insight

10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

for testing things that differ, so that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,

11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

being filled with the fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things [which happened] unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has turned out rather to help than to the hindrance of the gospel.

13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other [places];

Throughout the whole Praetorian guard and among all the others it has become plain that these chains of mine are for the sake of Christ;

14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

and most of the brothers in the Lord, made confident in the Lord through my imprisonment, are much emboldened to speak God’s message with free and fearless confidence.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

Some indeed are preaching Christ out of envy and contentiousness, but others from good-will.

16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

but the former preach Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely, because they think they are adding bitterness to my bonds.

17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

These latter out of their love, because they know that I am set here for the defense of the gospel;

18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

What of it? In any case, whether in pretence or in honest truth, Christ is still preached, and in that I am rejoicing, yes, and will rejoice.

19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

For I know that these things will turn out to my salvation through your prayers and a rich supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

20 According to my earnest expectation and [my] hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but [that] with all boldness, as always, [so] now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether [it be] by life, or by death.

So it is my keen expectation and hope that I shall never feel ashamed, but that with fearless courage, now as hither to, Christ may be magnified in my body, whether by my life or by my death.

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

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

22 But if I live in the flesh, this [is] the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

But now, if life in the flesh, if this be the fruit of my toil - what to choose I do not know,

23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

but am in a quandary between the two. I am perplexed. I have a strong desire to break camp and to be with Christ, which is far better;

24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh [is] more needful for you.

but for your sakes it is more necessary that I should still live on in the body.

25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;

And because I am convinced of this, I know that I shall live, and go on working side by side with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,

26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

so that you may find me fresh cause of exultation in Christ Jesus, because of my presence among you once more.

27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Only do lead lives worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come to see you or hear reports concerning you in my absence, I may know that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul, enlisted in a common struggle for the faith of the gospel,

28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

and in no way terrorized by its enemies. For you fearlessness is a clear indication of coming ruin for them, but of salvation for you at the hands of God.

29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

For it has been granted you in Christ’s behalf, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake,

30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear [to be] in me.

while you wage the same conflict which you once saw in me, and now hear that I maintain.