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 fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I have been persuaded of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ, 7 just as it is right for me to think this way about all of you because I have you in my heart, all of you being partakers with me of 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 in the bowels 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 Now 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 apparent among the whole palace guard and all the others. 14 And most of the brothers have been encouraged in the Lord by my chains, to dare more fearlessly to speak the word. 15 Some indeed are even proclaiming Christ because of envy and strife, and also some because of good will, 16 the ones from love, having understood that I have been appointed for the defense of the gospel, 17 but the ones from selfish ambition proclaiming Christ, not sincerely, supposing 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 to me in deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my eager expectation and hope that I will in nothing be ashamed, but in everything have boldness, and that now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether through life or through 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, and I do not know which I will choose. 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 having been persuaded 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 having come and having seen you, or whether being absent, I may hear about you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul 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 struggle 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 of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affections and compassions, 2 fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in soul, thinking the one thing. 3 Do nothing according to selfishness nor according to empty conceit. Instead, with humility considering others better than yourselves, 4 each one not considering the things of himself, but also the things of each other. 5 Have this attitude in you 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 forcibly grasp.
7 Instead, he emptied himself,
having taken the form of a servant,
having been born in the likeness of men,
and having been found in appearance as a man,
8 he humbled himself, having become 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 God is the one 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 perverted generation, 16 holding forth the word of life for my boasting on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain nor 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, having known the things concerning you. 20 For I have no one like-minded, who will be genuinely anxious about the things concerning you. 21 For they all seek their own things, not the things of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know his worth, that as a child with his father, he served with me in the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as I see 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 minister for my needs. 26 Seeing that he is longing to be with you all and he is 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 might rejoice, and I might 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, having risked his life so that he might make up your lack of service to me.
Chapter 3
1 As to the rest, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write these same things to you is no trouble, and is a safeguard for you. 2 Beware the dogs, beware the evil workers, beware the mutilation. 3 For we are the circumcision—the ones worshiping by the Spirit of God and boasting in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh, 4 although I myself, have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks to have confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcision on the eighth day, from the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; according to the law, a Pharisee; 6 according to zeal, persecuting the church; according to righteousness that is under the law, I was blameless. 7 Whatever was a profit for me, I consider this loss for the sake of Christ. 8 But on the contrary, I consider even 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 might gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having my own righteousness that is from the law, but that 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 might attain to the resurrection that is from the dead. 12 Not that I have already received it, or have already been made perfect, but pursuing 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 what we have attained, we should live 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—about whom I have often told you, but now even weeping, I say—as enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame, who are thinking about 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 conformity 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, but 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 As to the rest, brothers, as many as are true, as many as are honorable, as many as are just, as many as are pure, as many as are lovely, as many as are reputable, if anything is virtuous, and if anything is praiseworthy, think about these things. 9 And what 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, over which indeed you were concerned, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking according to need, for I have learned in whatever I am to be content. 12 I know both how to be brought low and I know how to abound. In every way and in all things I have learned both to be filled and to be hungry, and to abound and to be in need. 13 I can do all things in him who strengthens me. 14 However, you did well having shared together in my affliction. 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, an aroma, a sweet smell, an acceptable, pleasing sacrifice to God. 19 But my God will fulfill 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]