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, servants of Jesus Christ; To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants:

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

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

I thank my God whenever I remember you,

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

always in every request of mine on behalf of you all making my requests with joy,

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

for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News 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.

being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

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 even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.

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 after all of you in the tender mercies 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.

This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all 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 approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense to 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

being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

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

Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News;

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 that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are 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 that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

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

Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.

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

The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

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 latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

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.

What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.

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

For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

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.

according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.

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

For to 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.

But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose.

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 in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

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

Yet, to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.

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

Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,

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

that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with 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 let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

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 in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of 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.

Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on 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.

having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear is in me.