1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who live at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you,
4 always, in each of my prayers for all of you, praying with joy
5 for your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now,
6 being confident of this very thing, that he 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 of you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel you are all partakers with me of grace.
8 God is my witness how I yearn for all of you with the deep affection of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 so that you may approve the things that excel, and be sincere and give no offense until the day of Christ,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that the things that happened to me have turned out rather for the furtherance of the gospel,
13 so that it has become evident throughout the whole praetorium and to all the rest that my bonds are in Christ;
14 and most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord through my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will.
16 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they will add affliction to my bonds;
17 but the latter do so out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.
19 For I know that this will turn out for my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified 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 I am to live in the flesh, this is for me the fruit of my labor; yet what I shall choose I do not say.
23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better;
24 yet to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 so that your rejoicing in Christ Jesus may abound because of me through my coming to you again.
27 Only, let your conduct as citizens be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving together for the faith of the gospel,
28 and not frightened in anything by your adversaries; which is to them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.
29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake,
30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.