Philippians 1 (New American Standard)

Thanksgiving

1 ¹Paul and ²Timothy, ³bond-servants of ⁴Christ Jesus, To ⁵all the ^a6saints in Christ Jesus who are in ⁷Philippi, ^bincluding the ⁸overseers and ⁹deacons : 2 ¹⁰Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 ¹¹I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in ¹²my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your ^c13participation in the ¹⁴gospel ¹⁵from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until ¹⁶the day of Christ Jesus. 7 ^dFor ¹⁷it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I ¹⁸have you in my heart, since both in my ^e19imprisonment and in the ²⁰defense and confirmation of the ²¹gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 8 For ²²God is my witness, how I long for you all with the ^faffection of ²³Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, that ²⁴your love may abound still more and more in ²⁵real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may ^g26approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless ^huntil ²⁷the day of Christ ; 11 having been filled with the ²⁸fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Gospel Is Preached

12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances ²⁹have turned out for the greater progress of the ³⁰gospel, 13 so that my ⁱ³¹imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole ^jpraetorian guard and to ³²everyone else, 14 and that most of the ^kbrethren, trusting in the Lord because of my ^l33imprisonment, have ³⁴far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. 15 ³⁵Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even ^mfrom envy and strife, but some also ⁿfrom good will ; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the ³⁶gospel ; 17 the former proclaim Christ ³⁷out of selfish ambition ^orather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my ^p38imprisonment. 18 What then ? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed ; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my ^qdeliverance ³⁹through your ^rprayers and the provision of ⁴⁰the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my ⁴¹earnest expectation and ⁴²hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with ⁴³all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be ⁴⁴exalted in my body, ⁴⁵whether by life or by death.

To Live Is Christ

21 For to me, ⁴⁶to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 ^sBut if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean ⁴⁷fruitful labor for me; and I do not know ^twhich to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the ⁴⁸desire to depart and ⁴⁹be with Christ, for that is very much better ; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 ⁵⁰Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy ^uin the faith, 26 so that your ⁵¹proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. 27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner ⁵²worthy of the ⁵³gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are ⁵⁴standing firm in ⁵⁵one spirit, with one ^vmind ⁵⁶striving together for the faith of the gospel ; 28 in no way alarmed by your opponents -which is a ⁵⁷sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. 29 For to you ⁵⁸it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to ⁵⁹suffer for His sake, 30 experiencing the same ⁶⁰conflict which ⁶¹you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.