aPaul and bTimothy
, cbond-servants
of dChrist
Jesus
,
To eall the 1 fsaints
in Christ
Jesus
who are in gPhilippi
, 2including
the hoverseers
and ideacons
:
aGrace to you and peace
from God
our Father
and the Lord
Jesus
Christ
.
aI thank my God
in all
my remembrance
of you,
always offering
prayer
with joy
in amy every
prayer
for you all
,
in view of your 1 aparticipation
in the bgospel
cfrom the first
day
until
now
.
For I am confident of this
very
thing
, that He who began
a good
work
in you will perfect
it until
athe day
of Christ
Jesus
.
1For ait is only right
for me to feel
this
way
about
you all
, because
I bhave
you in my heart
, since both
in my 2 cimprisonment
and in the ddefense
and confirmation
of the egospel
, you all
are partakers
of grace
with me.
For aGod is my witness
, how
I long
for you all
with the 1affection
of bChrist
Jesus
.
And this I pray
, that ayour love
may abound
still
more
and more
in breal
knowledge
and all
discernment
,
so that you may 1 aapprove
the things that are excellent
, in order
to be sincere
and blameless
2until
bthe day
of Christ
;
having been filled with the afruit
of righteousness
which comes through
Jesus
Christ
, to the glory
and praise
of God
.
Now I want
you to know
, brethren
, that my circumstances
ahave turned
out for the greater
progress
of the bgospel
,
so that my 1 aimprisonment
in the cause of Christ
has become
well
known
throughout
the whole
2praetorian
guard
and to beveryone
else
,
and that most of the 1brethren
, trusting
in the Lord
because of my 2 aimprisonment
, have
bfar
more
courage
to speak
the word
of God
without
fear
.
aSome, to be sure
, are preaching
Christ
even
1from envy
and strife
, but some
also
1from good
will
;
the latter do it out of love
, knowing
that I am appointed
for the defense
of the agospel
;
the former proclaim
Christ
aout of selfish
ambition
1rather
than
from pure
motives
, thinking
to cause
me distress
in my 2 bimprisonment
.
What then
? Only
that in every
way
, whether
in pretense
or
in truth
, Christ
is proclaimed
; and in this
I rejoice
.
for I know that this
will turn
out for my 1deliverance
athrough
your 2prayers
and the provision
of bthe Spirit
of Jesus
Christ
,
according to my aearnest
expectation
and bhope
, that I will not be put
to shame
in anything
, but that with call
boldness
, Christ
will even
now
, as always
, be dexalted
in my body
, ewhether
by life
or
by death
.
For to me, ato live is Christ
and to die
is gain
.
1But if I am to live
on in the flesh
, this
will mean afruitful
labor
for me; and I do not know
2which
to choose
.
But I am hard-pressed from both
directions, having
the adesire
to depart
and bbe with Christ
, for that is very
much
better
;
yet to remain
on in the flesh
is more
necessary
for your sake
.
aConvinced of this
, I know
that I will remain
and continue
with you all
for your progress
and joy
1in the faith
,
so that your aproud
confidence
in me may abound
in Christ
Jesus
through
my coming
to you again
.
Only conduct
yourselves in a manner
aworthy
of the bgospel
of Christ
, so
that whether
I come
and see
you or
remain
absent
, I will hear
of you that you are cstanding
firm
in done
spirit
, with one
1mind
estriving
together
for the faith
of the gospel
;
in no way
alarmed
by your opponents
--which
is a asign
of destruction
for them, but of salvation
for you, and that too, from God
.
For to you ait has been granted for Christ's
sake
, not only
to believe
in Him, but also
to bsuffer
for His sake
,
experiencing the same
aconflict
which
byou saw
in me, and now
hear
to be in me.