1Philippians 1

1From Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus— To all God's people in Philippi who are in union with Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and helpers:Select Philippians 1:1

2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.Select Philippians 1:2

Paul's Prayer for His Readers

3I thank my God for you every time I think of you;Select Philippians 1:3

4and every time I pray for you all, I pray with joySelect Philippians 1:4

5because of the way in which you have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until now.Select Philippians 1:5

6And so I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus.Select Philippians 1:6

7You are always in my heart! And so it is only right for me to feel as I do about you. For you have all shared with me in this privilege that God has given me, both now that I am in prison and also while I was free to defend the gospel and establish it firmly.Select Philippians 1:7

8God is my witness that I tell the truth when I say that my deep feeling for you all comes from the heart of Christ Jesus himself.Select Philippians 1:8

9I pray that your love will keep on growing more and more, together with true knowledge and perfect judgment,Select Philippians 1:9

10so that you will be able to choose what is best. Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ.Select Philippians 1:10

11Your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and praise of God.Select Philippians 1:11

To Live Is Christ

12I want you to know, my friends, that the things that have happened to me have really helped the progress of the gospel.Select Philippians 1:12

13As a result, the whole palace guard and all the others here know that I am in prison because I am a servant of Christ.Select Philippians 1:13

14And my being in prison has given most of the believers more confidence in the Lord, so that they grow bolder all the time to preach the message fearlessly.Select Philippians 1:14

15Of course some of them preach Christ because they are jealous and quarrelsome, but others from genuine good will.Select Philippians 1:15

16These do so from love, because they know that God has given me the work of defending the gospel.Select Philippians 1:16

17The others do not proclaim Christ sincerely, but from a spirit of selfish ambition; they think that they will make more trouble for me while I am in prison.Select Philippians 1:17

18It does not matter! I am happy about it—just so Christ is preached in every way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to be happy,Select Philippians 1:18

19because I know that by means of your prayers and the help which comes from the Spirit of Jesus Christ I shall be set free.Select Philippians 1:19

20My deep desire and hope is that I shall never fail in my duty, but that at all times, and especially right now, I shall be full of courage, so that with my whole being I shall bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.Select Philippians 1:20

21For what is life? To me, it is Christ. Death, then, will bring more.Select Philippians 1:21

22But if by continuing to live I can do more worthwhile work, then I am not sure which I should choose.Select Philippians 1:22

23I am pulled in two directions. I want very much to leave this life and be with Christ, which is a far better thing;Select Philippians 1:23

24but for your sake it is much more important that I remain alive.Select Philippians 1:24

25I am sure of this, and so I know that I will stay. I will stay on with you all, to add to your progress and joy in the faith,Select Philippians 1:25

26so that when I am with you again, you will have even more reason to be proud of me in your life in union with Christ Jesus.Select Philippians 1:26

27Now, the important thing is that your way of life should be as the gospel of Christ requires, so that, whether or not I am able to go and see you, I will hear that you are standing firm with one common purpose and that with only one desire you are fighting together for the faith of the gospel.Select Philippians 1:27

28Don't be afraid of your enemies; always be courageous, and this will prove to them that they will lose and that you will win, because it is God who gives you the victory.Select Philippians 1:28

29For you have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him.Select Philippians 1:29

30Now you can take part with me in the battle. It is the same battle you saw me fighting in the past, and as you hear, the one I am fighting still.Select Philippians 1:30