1Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3I thank my God every time I remember you.
4In every prayer of mine for you all, I always make my request with joy,
5because you have shared with me in the gospel from the first day until now.
6I am sure of this very thing: the one who has begun a good work in you will carry it on until the day of Jesus Christ.
7It is right for me to think this of you all, because I hold you in my heart. Both in my chains and in the defence and confirming of the gospel, you all share in my grace.
8God is my witness how greatly I long for you all with the tender love of Jesus Christ.
9And this is my prayer: that your love may grow more and more in knowledge and in all judgment,
10so that you may test and choose what is excellent, and may be sincere and without fault until the day of Christ,
11filled with the fruits of righteousness, which come by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
12Brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the things that have happened to me have helped the gospel forward instead.
13So it is clear all through the palace, and everywhere else, that I am in chains for Christ.
14And many of the brothers and sisters in the Lord have gained confidence from my chains, and are far more bold to speak the word without fear.
15Some, it is true, preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but some out of good will.
16The one group preach Christ out of a quarrelsome spirit, not sincerely, thinking to add trouble to my chains.
17But the other group do it out of love, knowing that I am put here to defend the gospel.
18What then? In every way, whether it is pretended or true, Christ is preached. And in that I rejoice, yes, and I will go on rejoicing.
19For I know that this will turn out for my salvation through your prayer and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
20This is my eager expectation and hope: that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be honoured in my body, whether by life or by death.
21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22But if I live on in the flesh, this means fruit from my work. Yet which to choose I do not know.
23I am pulled between the two. I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better,
24but to stay on in the flesh is more needful for you.
25And being sure of this, I know that I shall stay and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
26so that your rejoicing in Jesus Christ may overflow because of me, when I come to you again.
27Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then whether I come and see you, or am away, I may hear about you, that you stand firm in one spirit, striving together with one mind for the faith of the gospel,
28and are not frightened in anything by those who oppose you. To them this is a clear sign of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.
29For it has been given to you, on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake,
30as you go through the same struggle you saw in me, and now hear that I still have.