Introduction and Thanksgiving

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
4 always in every prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy,
5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
6 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 as it is right for me to think this concerning you all, because I have you in my heart, in the bonds of Christ Jesus, in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are also partakers of grace, with me.
8 for God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness, which is through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Imprisonment and the Progress of the Gospel

12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather for the progress of the gospel,
13 so that my imprisonment has become manifest in Christ throughout the whole governor’s palace, and to all the rest,
14 and most of the brethren, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare more to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill;
16 the latter out of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel,
17 the former, proclaiming Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains.
18 What then? Only that, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and for this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

Life and Death in Christ

19 For I know that this will turn out for my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 according to my eager expectation and hope that I will not be ashamed in anything, but that with all boldness, as always, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if to live in the flesh, this is fruit from my labour, then what I shall choose I do not know.
23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better,
24 yet to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
25 And being confident of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 so that your boasting may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my coming to you again.

Exhortation to Conduct Worthy of the Gospel

27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, striving together with one soul for the faith of the gospel,
28 and in nothing be terrified by your adversaries, which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and this from God.
29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him,
30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.