The Message Bible MSG
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 Paul and Timothy, both of us committed servants of Christ Jesus, write this letter to all the Christians in Philippi, pastors and ministers included.
1
Paulus et Timotheus servi Iesu Christi omnibus sanctis in Christo Iesu qui sunt Philippis cum episcopis et diaconis
2 We greet you with the grace and peace that comes from God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ.
2
gratia vobis et pax a Deo Patre nostro et Domino Iesu Christo
3 Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God.
3
gratias ago Deo meo in omni memoria vestri
4 Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart.
4
semper in cunctis orationibus meis pro omnibus vobis cum gaudio deprecationem faciens
5 I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present.
5
super communicatione vestra in evangelio a prima die usque nunc
6 There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.
6
confidens hoc ipsum quia qui coepit in vobis opus bonum perficiet usque in diem Christi Iesu
7 It's not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God.
7
sicut est mihi iustum hoc sentire pro omnibus vobis eo quod habeam in corde vos et in vinculis meis et in defensione et confirmatione evangelii socios gaudii mei omnes vos esse
8 He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!
8
testis enim mihi est Deus quomodo cupiam omnes vos in visceribus Christi Iesu
9 So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings
9
et hoc oro ut caritas vestra magis ac magis abundet in scientia et omni sensu
10 so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of:
10
ut probetis potiora ut sitis sinceres et sine offensa in diem Christi
11 bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.
11
repleti fructu iustitiae per Christum Iesum in gloriam et laudem Dei
12 I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered.
12
scire autem vos volo fratres quia quae circa me sunt magis ad profectum venerunt evangelii
13 All the soldiers here, and everyone else too, found out that I'm in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they've learned all about him.
13
ita ut vincula mea manifesta fierent in Christo in omni praetorio et in ceteris omnibus
14 Not only that, but most of the Christians here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah.
14
et plures e fratribus in Domino confidentes vinculis meis abundantius audere sine timore verbum Dei loqui
15 It's true that some here preach Christ because with me out of the way, they think they'll step right into the spotlight. But the others do it with the best heart in the world.
15
quidam quidem et propter invidiam et contentionem quidam autem et propter bonam voluntatem Christum praedicant
16 One group is motivated by pure love, knowing that I am here defending the Message, wanting to help.
16
quidam ex caritate scientes quoniam in defensionem evangelii positus sum
17 The others, now that I'm out of the picture, are merely greedy, hoping to get something out of it for themselves. Their motives are bad. They see me as their competition, and so the worse it goes for me, the better - they think - for them.
17
quidam autem ex contentione Christum adnuntiant non sincere existimantes pressuram se suscitare vinculis meis
18 So how am I to respond? I've decided that I really don't care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on!
18
quid enim dum omni modo sive per occasionem sive per veritatem Christus adnuntiatur et in hoc gaudeo sed et gaudebo
19 because I know how it's going to turn out. Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done.
19
scio enim quia hoc mihi proveniet in salutem per vestram orationem et subministrationem Spiritus Iesu Christi
20 I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don't expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn't shut me up; they gave me a pulpit!
20
secundum expectationem et spem meam quia in nullo confundar sed in omni fiducia sicut semper et nunc magnificabitur Christus in corpore meo sive per vitam sive per mortem
21 Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose.
21
mihi enim vivere Christus est et mori lucrum
22 As long as I'm alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I'd choose.
22
quod si vivere in carne hic mihi fructus operis est et quid eligam ignoro
23 Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better
23
coartor autem e duobus desiderium habens dissolvi et cum Christo esse multo magis melius
24 . But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it out here.
24
permanere autem in carne magis necessarium est propter vos
25 So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues.
25
et hoc confidens scio quia manebo et permanebo omnibus vobis ad profectum vestrum et gaudium fidei
26 You can start looking forward to a great reunion when I come visit you again. We'll be praising Christ, enjoying each other.
26
ut gratulatio vestra abundet in Christo Iesu in me per meum adventum iterum ad vos
27 Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ. Let nothing in your conduct hang on whether I come or not. Your conduct must be the same whether I show up to see things for myself or hear of it from a distance. Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people's trust in the Message, the good news,
27
tantum digne evangelio Christi conversamini ut sive cum venero et videro vos sive absens audiam de vobis quia stetistis uno spiritu unianimes conlaborantes fide evangelii
28 not flinching or dodging in the slightest before the opposition. Your courage and unity will show them what they're up against: defeat for them, victory for you - and both because of God.
28
et in nullo terreamini ab adversariis quae est illis causa perditionis vobis autem salutis et hoc a Deo
29 There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting.
29
quia vobis donatum est pro Christo non solum ut in eum credatis sed ut etiam pro illo patiamini
30 You're involved in the same kind of struggle you saw me go through, on which you are now getting an updated report in this letter.
30
eundem certamen habentes qualem et vidistis in me et nunc audistis de me
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.