Greeting from a prisoner
1Paul and Timothy, servants of the Christ Jesus, to all the saints in the Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, together with the overseers and the deacons: 2grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and prayer
3I thank my God every time I remember you, 4always, in every prayer of mine for all of you, praying with joy, 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6And I am sure of this very thing: that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is only right that I should have this mind about all of you, since I hold you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share this grace with me. 8God is my witness how I long for all of you with the deep affection of the Christ Jesus. 9And this is my prayer: that your love may overflow more and more, with full knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10so that you may test what really matters and be pure and blameless on the day of the Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
My chains have advanced the gospel
12I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13It has become clear through the whole Praetorium, and to everyone else, that my chains are for the Christ, 14and most of the brothers and sisters, made confident in the Lord by my chains, dare all the more to speak the word without fear. 15Some, it is true, proclaim the Christ out of envy and rivalry; others do it out of good will. 16These act out of love, knowing that I am here for the defense of the gospel; 17those proclaim the Christ out of selfish ambition, with no pure motive, thinking to stir up trouble for me in my chains. 18What of it? Either way, whether from pretense or in truth, the Christ is proclaimed — and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will go on rejoicing, 19for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20in keeping with my eager expectation and hope that I will be put to shame in nothing, but that with complete boldness, now as always, the Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
To live is the Christ
21For to me, living is the Christ, and dying is gain. 22But if living on in the flesh means fruitful work for me, then what shall I choose? I do not know. 23I am pressed from both sides: my desire is to depart and be with the Christ, which is far better; 24yet to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25Sure of this, I know that I will stay, and stay beside all of you, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that in the Christ Jesus your boasting may overflow because of me, when I am with you again.
Citizens worthy of the gospel
27Only live as citizens worthy of the gospel of the Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am away, I may hear this about you: that you are standing firm in one spirit, contending side by side with one soul for the faith of the gospel, 28and not frightened in any way by those who oppose you. That is a sign to them of their ruin, but of your salvation — and this from God. 29For to you it has been granted, on behalf of the Christ, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him, 30having the same struggle you once saw in me and now hear that I still have.
