New International Version NIV
New Century Version NCV
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons :
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From Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus. To all of God's holy people in Christ Jesus who live in Philippi, including your elders and deacons:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God every time I remember you.
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I thank my God every time I remember you,
4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
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always praying with joy for all of you.
5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
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I thank God for the help you gave me while I preached the Good News -- help you gave from the first day you believed until now.
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
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God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.
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And I know that I am right to think like this about all of you, because I have you in my heart. All of you share in God's grace with me while I am in prison and while I am defending and proving the truth of the Good News.
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
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God knows that I want to see you very much, because I love all of you with the love of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
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This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love;
10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
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that you will see the difference between good and bad and will choose the good; that you will be pure and without wrong for the coming of Christ;
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
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that you will do many good things with the help of Christ to bring glory and praise to God.
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.
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I want you brothers and sistersn to know that what has happened to me has helped to spread the Good News.
13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
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All the palace guards and everyone else knows that I am in prison because I am a believer in Christ.
14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
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Because I am in prison, most of the believers have become more bold in Christ and are not afraid to speak the word of God.
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
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It is true that some preach about Christ because they are jealous and ambitious, but others preach about Christ because they want to help.
16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
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They preach because they have love, and they know that God gave me the work of defending the Good News.
17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
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But the others preach about Christ for selfish and wrong reasons, wanting to make trouble for me in prison.
18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
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But it doesn't matter. The important thing is that in every way, whether for right or wrong reasons, they are preaching about Christ. So I am happy, and I will continue to be happy.
19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
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Because you are praying for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ is helping me, I know this trouble will bring my freedom.
20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
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I expect and hope that I will not fail Christ in anything but that I will have the courage now, as always, to show the greatness of Christ in my life here on earth, whether I live or die.
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
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To me the only important thing about living is Christ, and dying would be profit for me.
22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!
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If I continue living in my body, I will be able to work for the Lord. I do not know what to choose -- living or dying.
23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
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It is hard to choose between the two. I want to leave this life and be with Christ, which is much better,
24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
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but you need me here in my body.
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,
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Since I am sure of this, I know I will stay with you to help you grow and have joy in your faith.
26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
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You will be very happy in Christ Jesus when I am with you again.
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel
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Only one thing concerns me: Be sure that you live in a way that brings honor to the Good News of Christ. Then whether I come and visit you or am away from you, I will hear that you are standing strong with one purpose, that you work together as one for the faith of the Good News,
28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
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and that you are not afraid of those who are against you. All of this is proof that your enemies will be destroyed but that you will be saved by God.
29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,
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God gave you the honor not only of believing in Christ but also of suffering for him, both of which bring glory to Christ.
30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
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When I was with you, you saw the struggles I had, and you hear about the struggles I am having now. You yourselves are having the same kind of struggles.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.