1 T his letter is from Paul and Timothy. We are servants owned by Jesus Christ. This letter is to all who belong to Christ Jesus who are living in the city of Philippi and to the church leaders and their helpers also.

Paul and Timothy, bond servants of Christ Jesus (the Messiah), to all the saints (God’s consecrated people) in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops (overseers) and deacons (assistants):

2 M ay you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul Gives Thanks For the True Christians

Grace (favor and blessing) to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

3 I thank God for you whenever I think of you.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.

4 I always have joy as I pray for all of you.

In every prayer of mine I always make my entreaty and petition for you all with joy (delight).

5 I t is because you have told others the Good News from the first day you heard it until now.

for your fellowship (your sympathetic cooperation and contributions and partnership) in advancing the good news (the Gospel) from the first day until now.

6 I am sure that God Who began the good work in you will keep on working in you until the day Jesus Christ comes again.

And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ, developing and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.

7 I t is right for me to feel like this about all of you. It is because you are very dear to me. While I was in prison and when I was proving that the Good News is true, you all shared God’s loving-favor with me.

It is right and appropriate for me to have this confidence and feel this way about you all, because you have me in your heart and I hold you in my heart as partakers and sharers, one and all with me, of grace (God’s unmerited favor and spiritual blessing). both when I am shut up in prison and when I am out in the defense and confirmation of the good news (the Gospel).

8 G od knows what I am saying. He knows how much I love you all with a love that comes from Jesus Christ.

For God is my witness how I long for and pursue you all with love, in the tender mercy of Christ Jesus!

9 A nd this is my prayer: I pray that your love will grow more and more. I pray that you will have better understanding and be wise in all things.

And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight '> display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment],

10 I pray that you will know what is the very best. I pray that you will be true and without blame until the day Christ comes again.

So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value, and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless the day of Christ.

11 A nd I pray that you will be filled with the fruits of right living. These come from Jesus Christ, with honor and thanks to God. Paul’s Being in Prison Has Turned Out to Be a Good Thing

May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), to the honor and praise of God '> that His glory may be both manifested and recognized].

12 C hristian brothers, I want you to know that what has happened to me has helped spread the Good News.

Now I want you to know and continue to rest assured, brethren, that what to me has actually only served to advance and give a renewed impetus to the good news (the Gospel).

13 E veryone around here knows why I am in prison. It is because I preached about Jesus Christ. All the soldiers who work for the leader of the country know why I am here.

So much is this a fact that throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest my imprisonment has become generally known to be in Christ.

14 B ecause of this, most of my Christian brothers have had their faith in the Lord made stronger. They have more power to preach the Word of God without fear.

And most of the brethren have derived fresh confidence in the Lord because of my chains and are much more bold to speak and publish fearlessly the Word of God.

15 S ome are preaching because they are jealous and want to make trouble. Others are doing it for the right reason.

Some, it is true, preach Christ (the Messiah) out of envy and rivalry (party spirit), but others are doing so out of a loyal spirit and goodwill.

16 T hese do it because of love. They know that I am put here to prove the Good News is true.

The latter out of love, because they recognize and know that I am put here for the defense of the good news (the Gospel).

17 T he others preach about Christ for what they get out of it. Their hearts are not right. They want to make me suffer while I am in prison.

But the former preach Christ out of a party spirit, insincerely, supposing they are making my bondage more bitter and my chains more galling.

18 W hat difference does it make if they pretend or if they are true? I am happy, yes, and I will keep on being happy that Christ is preached.

But what does it matter, so long as either way, whether in pretense or in all honesty, Christ is being proclaimed? And in that I rejoice, yes, and I shall rejoice also.

19 B ecause of your prayers and the help the Holy Spirit gives me, all of this will turn out for good.

For I am well assured and indeed know that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) this will turn out for my preservation (for the spiritual health and welfare of my own soul) and avail toward the saving work of the Gospel.

20 I hope very much that I will have no reason to be ashamed. I hope to honor Christ with my body if it be by my life or by my death. I want to honor Him without fear, now and always.

This is in keeping with my own eager desire and persistent expectation and hope, that I shall not disgrace myself nor be put to shame in anything; but that with the utmost freedom of speech and unfailing courage, now as always heretofore, Christ (the Messiah) will be magnified and get glory and praise in this body of mine and be boldly exalted in my person, whether through (by) life or through (by) death.

21 T o me, living means having Christ. To die means that I would have more of Him.

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

22 I f I keep on living here in this body, it means that I can lead more people to Christ. I do not know which is better.

If, however, it is to be life in the flesh and I am to live on here, that means fruitful service for me; so I can say nothing as to my personal preference,

23 T here is a strong pull from both sides. I have a desire to leave this world to be with Christ, which is much better.

But I am hard pressed between the two. My yearning desire is to depart (to be free of this world, to set forth) and be with Christ, for that is far, far better;

24 B ut it is more important for you that I stay.

But to remain in my body is more needful and essential for your sake.

25 I am sure I will live to help you grow and be happy in your faith.

Since I am convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and stay by you all, to promote your progress and joy in believing,

26 T his will give you reason to give more thanks to Christ Jesus when I come to visit you again. Fight for the Faith

So that in me you may have abundant cause for exultation and glorying in Christ Jesus, through my coming to you again.

27 L ive your lives as the Good News of Christ says you should. If I come to you or not, I want to hear that you are standing true as one. I want to hear that you are working together as one, preaching the Good News.

Only be sure as citizens so to conduct yourselves your manner of life worthy of the good news (the Gospel) of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear this of you: that you are standing firm in united spirit and purpose, striving side by side and contending with a single mind for the faith of the glad tidings (the Gospel).

28 D o not be afraid of those who hate you. Their hate for you proves they will be destroyed. It proves you have life from God that lasts forever.

And do not be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of destruction, but of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God.

29 Y ou are not only to put your trust in Him, but you are to suffer for Him also.

For you have been granted for Christ’s sake not only to believe in (adhere to, rely on, and trust in) Him, but also to suffer in His behalf.

30 Y ou know what the fight is like. Now it is time for you to have a part in it as I have.

So you are engaged in the same conflict which you saw me and which you now hear to be mine.