Philippians 1

1 Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are 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 thank my God at every remembrance of you, ◈

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

5 because of your partnership for the gospel, from the first day until now — ◈

6 confident of this very thing, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus; ⌘◈◈

7 — just as it is right for me to be so minded about all of you, because I hold you in my heart; for both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, all of you are fellow sharers with me in the grace. ◈◈

8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all in the inward parts of Christ Jesus. ⌘◈

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may overflow still more and more, in full knowledge and every kind of discernment, ◈

10 so that you may test and approve the things that matter, so that you may be sun-judged and without stumbling for the day of Christ, ⌘◈◈

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

12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have turned out rather for the advance of the gospel, ◈

13 so that my chains have become manifest in Christ throughout the whole praetorium and to all the rest, ◈

14 and that most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my chains, dare all the more to speak the word fearlessly. ⌘

15 Some, indeed, are proclaiming Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill — ◈

16 These, out of love, knowing that I am set here for the defense of the gospel; ⌘

17 but the others proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not from pure motives, supposing they are stirring up trouble for me in my chains. ⌘◈

18 What of it? Only this — that in every way, whether from pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. And in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will go on rejoicing, ⌘◈

19 For I know that this will turn out for me to salvation, through your petition and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ✦◈◈

20 in line with my straining expectation and hope: that in nothing will I be put to shame, but that with complete boldness, as always so also now, Christ will be magnified in my body — whether through life or through death. ✦◈◈◈

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

22 But if living on in the flesh — this means fruitful labor for me — then what I am to choose, I cannot say. ◈

23 I am pressed hard from both sides: my longing is to cast off and be with Christ — far better by much — ◈◈

24 But to stay on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. ◈

25 And being confident of this, I know that I will remain and continue alongside you all, for your advance and joy in the faith, ⌘

26 so that your ground for boasting may overflow in Christ Jesus, in me, through my coming again to you. ⌘

27 Only — live out your citizenship worthily of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear how things stand with you: that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul contending side by side for the faith of the gospel, ◈⌘

28 and not being startled in anything by those who oppose you — which is for them a proof of destruction, but of your salvation, and this from God, ◈◈⌘

29 because it has been granted to you as a favor, on Christ’s behalf, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake), ◈◈◈

30 having the same contest that you saw in me and now hear to be in me. ◈