New International Version | NET Bible |
1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: | 1From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons. |
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | 2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! |
3I thank my God every time I remember you. | 3I thank my God every time I remember you. |
4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy | 4I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you |
5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, | 5because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. |
6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. | 6For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. |
7It 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. | 7For it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God's grace together with me. |
8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. | 8For God is my witness that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. |
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, | 9And I pray this, that your love may abound even more and more in knowledge and every kind of insight |
10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, | 10so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ, |
11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God. | 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. |
12Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. | 12I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel: |
13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. | 13The whole imperial guard and everyone else knows that I am in prison for the sake of Christ, |
14And 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. | 14and most of the brothers and sisters, having confidence in the Lord because of my imprisonment, now more than ever dare to speak the word fearlessly. |
15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. | 15Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. |
16The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. | 16The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel. |
17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. | 17The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment. |
18But 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, | 18What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, |
19for 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. | 19for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. |
20I 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. | 20My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die. |
21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. | 21For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. |
22If 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! | 22Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don't know which I prefer: |
23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; | 23I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, |
24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. | 24but it is more vital for your sake that I remain in the body. |
25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, | 25And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith, |
26so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. | 26so that what you can be proud of may increase because of me in Christ Jesus, when I come back to you. |
27Whatever 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 | 27Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that--whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent--I should hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel, |
28without 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. | 28and by not being intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of their destruction, but of your salvation--a sign which is from God. |
29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, | 29For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him, |
30since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. | 30since you are encountering the same conflict that you saw me face and now hear that I am facing. |
|