¹ Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus that are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

² grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ I thank my God on every remembrance of you―

⁴ always in every supplication of mine for you all, making my supplication with joy―

⁵ for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day till now:

⁶ being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you, will carry it on till the day of Jesus Christ;

⁷ as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I say I have you in my heart; both in my bonds and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, I say I have you all in my heart as being joint partakers of my grace.

⁸ For God is my witness how ardently I love you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹ I also pray for this, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all understanding,

¹⁰ in order that you may distinguish things that differ, to the end that you may be pure and blameless till the day of Christ,

¹¹ being filled with the fruit of righteousness, which fruit is by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

¹² But I wish you to know, brethren, that the things which have befallen me have turned out rather to the advancement of the gospel;

¹³ so that my bonds which are for Christ have become known to be such in all the palace, and in all other places;

¹⁴ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having confidence in my bonds, are more bold to speak the word without fear.

¹⁵ Some, indeed, preach the Christ, because of envy and a contentious disposition, and some because of good-will.

¹⁶ These do it from love, because they know that I am set for the defense of the gospel;

¹⁷ those preach Christ from a contentious disposition, not sincerely, thinking that they will add affliction to my bonds.

¹⁸ What difference does this make? Christ is, nevertheless, preached in every way, whether in pretense or in truth; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice:

¹⁹ for I know that this will result in my benefit through your supplication, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

²⁰ according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be ashamed, but with all boldness, as at all times, so even now, 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 this, my life in the flesh, would be profitable for my work in the ministry, verily, what I should choose I know not.

²³ I am in a strait between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better:

²⁴ yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

²⁵ And of this I feel assured, that I shall remain and continue among you all for your advancement and joy in the faith,

²⁶ that your rejoicing in Christ Jesus may become more abundant through me by my being present among you again.

²⁷ Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of the Christ, that, whether I come and see you, or be 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 in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

²⁹ For to you it is given in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but, also, to suffer for him,

³⁰ since you have the same conflict that you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.