Philippians 1:1-30.
Philippians 1:1-30 (GNT)
1From Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus-To all God's people in
Philippi who are in union with Christ Jesus, including the church leaders
and helpers: 2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace
and peace. 3I thank my God for you every time I think of you; 4and every
time I pray for you all, I pray with joy 5because of the way in which you
have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until
now. 6And so I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will
carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus. 7You are
always in my heart! And so it is only right for me to feel as I do about
you. For you have all shared with me in this privilege that God has given
me, both now that I am in prison and also while I was free to defend the
gospel and establish it firmly. 8God is my witness that I tell the truth
when I say that my deep feeling for you all comes from the heart of Christ
Jesus himself. 9I pray that your love will keep on growing more and more,
together with true knowledge and perfect judgment, 10so that you will be
able to choose what is best. Then you will be free from all impurity and
blame on the Day of Christ. 11Your lives will be filled with the truly
good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and
praise of God. 12I want you to know, my friends, that the things that have
happened to me have really helped the progress of the gospel. 13As a
result, the whole palace guard and all the others here know that I am in
prison because I am a servant of Christ. 14And my being in prison has
given most of the believers more confidence in the Lord, so that they grow
bolder all the time to preach the message fearlessly. 15Of course some of
them preach Christ because they are jealous and quarrelsome, but others
from genuine good will. 16These do so from love, because they know that
God has given me the work of defending the gospel. 17The others do not
proclaim Christ sincerely, but from a spirit of selfish ambition; they
think that they will make more trouble for me while I am in prison. 18It
does not matter! I am happy about it-just so Christ is preached in every
way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to
be happy, 19because I know that by means of your prayers and the help
which comes from the Spirit of Jesus Christ I shall be set free. 20My deep
desire and hope is that I shall never fail in my duty, but that at all
times, and especially right now, I shall be full of courage, so that with
my whole being I shall bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21For
what is life? To me, it is Christ. Death, then, will bring more. 22But if
by continuing to live I can do more worthwhile work, then I am not sure
which I should choose. 23I am pulled in two directions. I want very much
to leave this life and be with Christ, which is a far better thing; 24but
for your sake it is much more important that I remain alive. 25I am sure
of this, and so I know that I will stay. I will stay on with you all, to
add to your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that when I am with you
again, you will have even more reason to be proud of me in your life in
union with Christ Jesus. 27Now, the important thing is that your way of
life should be as the gospel of Christ requires, so that, whether or not I
am able to go and see you, I will hear that you are standing firm with one
common purpose and that with only one desire you are fighting together for
the faith of the gospel. 28Don't be afraid of your enemies; always be
courageous, and this will prove to them that they will lose and that you
will win, because it is God who gives you the victory. 29For you have been
given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but
also by suffering for him. 30Now you can take part with me in the battle.
It is the same battle you saw me fighting in the past, and as you hear,
the one I am fighting still.
Philippi who are in union with Christ Jesus, including the church leaders
and helpers: 2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace
and peace. 3I thank my God for you every time I think of you; 4and every
time I pray for you all, I pray with joy 5because of the way in which you
have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until
now. 6And so I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will
carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus. 7You are
always in my heart! And so it is only right for me to feel as I do about
you. For you have all shared with me in this privilege that God has given
me, both now that I am in prison and also while I was free to defend the
gospel and establish it firmly. 8God is my witness that I tell the truth
when I say that my deep feeling for you all comes from the heart of Christ
Jesus himself. 9I pray that your love will keep on growing more and more,
together with true knowledge and perfect judgment, 10so that you will be
able to choose what is best. Then you will be free from all impurity and
blame on the Day of Christ. 11Your lives will be filled with the truly
good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and
praise of God. 12I want you to know, my friends, that the things that have
happened to me have really helped the progress of the gospel. 13As a
result, the whole palace guard and all the others here know that I am in
prison because I am a servant of Christ. 14And my being in prison has
given most of the believers more confidence in the Lord, so that they grow
bolder all the time to preach the message fearlessly. 15Of course some of
them preach Christ because they are jealous and quarrelsome, but others
from genuine good will. 16These do so from love, because they know that
God has given me the work of defending the gospel. 17The others do not
proclaim Christ sincerely, but from a spirit of selfish ambition; they
think that they will make more trouble for me while I am in prison. 18It
does not matter! I am happy about it-just so Christ is preached in every
way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to
be happy, 19because I know that by means of your prayers and the help
which comes from the Spirit of Jesus Christ I shall be set free. 20My deep
desire and hope is that I shall never fail in my duty, but that at all
times, and especially right now, I shall be full of courage, so that with
my whole being I shall bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21For
what is life? To me, it is Christ. Death, then, will bring more. 22But if
by continuing to live I can do more worthwhile work, then I am not sure
which I should choose. 23I am pulled in two directions. I want very much
to leave this life and be with Christ, which is a far better thing; 24but
for your sake it is much more important that I remain alive. 25I am sure
of this, and so I know that I will stay. I will stay on with you all, to
add to your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that when I am with you
again, you will have even more reason to be proud of me in your life in
union with Christ Jesus. 27Now, the important thing is that your way of
life should be as the gospel of Christ requires, so that, whether or not I
am able to go and see you, I will hear that you are standing firm with one
common purpose and that with only one desire you are fighting together for
the faith of the gospel. 28Don't be afraid of your enemies; always be
courageous, and this will prove to them that they will lose and that you
will win, because it is God who gives you the victory. 29For you have been
given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but
also by suffering for him. 30Now you can take part with me in the battle.
It is the same battle you saw me fighting in the past, and as you hear,
the one I am fighting still.
God bless you.
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