Philippians
Chapter 1
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at 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 all of you, making my prayer with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. 7 Just as it is right for me to feel this way about all of you because I have you in my heart. You all have been my co-partners in grace both in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affections of Christ Jesus. 9 And I pray this: that your love would abound still more and more in knowledge and all understanding 10 so that you may approve what excels, so that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruit of righteousness that is through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
12 And I want you to know, brothers, that the things concerning me have really happened for the advancement of the gospel. 13 As a result, my chains in Christ became clear throughout the whole palace guard and all the others. 14 And most of the brothers are encouraged in the Lord by my chains, to dare more fearlessly to speak the word. 15 Some indeed even proclaim Christ out of envy and strife, and also others out of good will, 16 they out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 17 But they proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely. They expect to raise up trouble in my chains. 18 What then? Only that in every way—whether in pretext or in truth—Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will result in my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my eager expectation and certain hope that I will in nothing be ashamed, but in everthing have boldness, so that now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if to live in the flesh, this is fruitful labor for me. Yet which to choose? I do not know. 23 But I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and to be with Christ, for that is very much better, 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 And convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound through my coming to you again. 27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or I am absent, I may hear about you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. 28 And do not be frightened in anything by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation—and this from God. 29 For it has been freely given to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on behalf of him, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now you hear in me.
Chapter 2
1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort provided by love, if any fellowship in the Spirit, if any affections and compassions, 2 complete my joy by thinking the same thoughts, having the same love, united in spirit, and one in purpose. 3 Do nothing according to selfishness or according to empty conceit. Instead, with humility considering others better than yourselves, 4 each one not considering himself, but also the interests of each other. 5 Think this same thought in yourselves which also was in Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider that to be equal with God
was something to hold on to.
7 Instead, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a servant,
and he was born in the likeness of men,
and was found in appearance as a man,
8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee would bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
12 So then, my beloved, just as you always obey, not only as in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without blemish, among whom you will shine as lights in the world, in the midst of a crooked and depraved generation. 16 Hold forth the word of life for my boasting on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out as an offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 And in the same manner, you also be glad and rejoice with me.
19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may also be encouraged, ascertaining the things concerning you. 20 For I have no one with his attitude, who will be genuinely anxious about the things concerning you. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not the things of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know his worth, that as a son with his father, he served with me in the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, when I see how are things concerning me. 24 But I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon. 25 But I consider it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and servant for my needs. 26 Seeing that he longed to be with you all and he was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick nearly to death. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but also on me, so that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore, I sent him all the more eagerly, so that having seen him again you may rejoice, and I may be free from pain. 29 Therefore welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold in honor those like him. 30 For it was for the sake of the work of Christ that he came near even to death. He risked his life to make up for your lack in service to me.
Chapter 3
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write these same things to you, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision—the ones who worship by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 although I myself have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcision on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; according to the law, a Pharisee; 6 according to zeal, I persecuted the church; according to righteousness that is under the law, I was blameless. 7 Whatever was a profit for me, I consider them as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 But in fact, now I consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, through whom I have suffered the loss of all things—and I consider them dung—so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having my own righteousness that is from the law, but which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God, by faith; 10 to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11 if somehow I may attain to the resurrection that is from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained it, or am already made perfect, but I pursue it, if also to grasp that for which I was also grasped by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have grasped it. But one thing: forgetting what is behind and straining for what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore, as many as are perfect should think this way; and if you think differently about anything, God will also reveal that to you. 16 However, in that which we have reached, let us walk in it.
17 Become imitators of me, brothers, and watch closely those who are thus walking, just as you have us as an example. 18 For many are walking—those whom I have often told you, but now I am telling you and weeping—as enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame, who are minding earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working of his power even to subject all things to himself.
Chapter 4
1 Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.
2 I urge Euodia, and I urge Syntyche, to think the same in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, true companion, to help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with also Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious about nothing. Instead, in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God, 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if anything is excellent, and if anything is praiseworthy, think about these things. 9 And the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
10 But I greatly rejoice in the Lord because now at last you have renewed your concern on my behalf. You indeed were concerned for me before, but you lacked opportunity. 11 I am not saying this according to need. For I have learned in whatever I am to be content. 12 I know both what it is to be poor, and I know what it is to abound. In every way and in all things I also have learned the secret to being filled and to being hungry, and to abounding and to being in need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 14 However, you did well having shared together in my difficulties. 15 But you Philippians also know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I went out from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone, 16 for even in Thessalonica, both once and twice you sent for my needs. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your account. 18 But I have everything in full and I abound. I have been fulfilled, having received from Epaphroditus the things from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 But my God will fulfil all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, but especially those from Caesar’s household.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. [1]