Read New International Version, 2011 Philippians 1 Bible Online

Philippians 1 - New International Version, 2011 bible

Philippians 1

¹Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons [1]:

²Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³I thank my God every time I remember you.

⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

⁵because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

⁷It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.

⁸God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

¹⁰so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God.

¹²Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, [2] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.

¹³As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard [3] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

¹⁴And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

¹⁵It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

¹⁶The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

¹⁷The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.

¹⁸But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

¹⁹for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. [4]

²⁰I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

²¹For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

²²If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

²³I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

²⁴but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

²⁶so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

²⁷Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, [5] striving together as one for the faith of the gospel

²⁸without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved — and that by God.

²⁹For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,

³⁰since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.