New King James Version

English Standard Version

1Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

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

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

3I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

3I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

4always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,

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

5for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

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

6being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

6And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

7just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.

7It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

8For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

9And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,

10that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

10so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

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

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

12But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,

12I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,

13so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;

13so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.

14and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

14And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

15Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill:

15Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.

16The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;

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

17but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

17The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.

18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

19For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

19for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

20according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.

20as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.

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

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

22But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.

22If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.

23For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

23I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

24Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.

24But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.

25And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith,

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

26that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

26so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

27Only let your conduct 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 mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,

27Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

28and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

28and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

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

29For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

30having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

30engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.