Philippians 1-4

New American Standard Bible

Thanksgiving

1 ^(A)Paul and ^(B)Timothy, ^(C)bond-servants of ^(D)Christ Jesus,

To ^(E)all the ^[a](F)saints in Christ Jesus who are in ^(G)Philippi, ^[b]including the ^(H)overseers and ^(I)deacons: ^2 (J)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^3 (K)I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, ⁴ always offering prayer with joy in ^(L)my every prayer for you all, ⁵ in view of your ^[c](M)participation in the ^(N)gospel ^(O)from the first day until now. ⁶ For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work ^[d]among you will complete it ^[e]by ^(P)the day of Christ Jesus. ^7 [f]For ^(Q)it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I ^(R)have you in my heart, since both in my ^[g](S)imprisonment and in the ^(T)defense and confirmation of the ^(U)gospel, you all are ^[h]partakers of grace with me. ⁸ For ^(V)God is my witness, how I long for you all with the ^[i]affection of ^(W)Christ Jesus. ⁹ And this I pray, that ^(X)your love may overflow still more and more in ^(Y)real knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may ^[j](Z)discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for ^(AA)the day of Christ; ¹¹ having been filled with the ^(AB)fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.

The Gospel Is Preached

¹² Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances ^(AC)have turned out for the greater progress of the ^(AD)gospel, ¹³ so that my ^[k](AE)imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the ^[l]praetorian guard and to ^(AF)everyone else, ¹⁴ and that most of the brothers and sisters, ^[m]trusting in the Lord because of my ^[n](AG)imprisonment, have ^(AH)far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. ^15 (AI)Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even ^[o]from envy and strife, but some also ^[p]from goodwill; ¹⁶ the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the ^(AJ)gospel; ¹⁷ the former proclaim Christ ^(AK)out of selfish ambition ^[q]rather than from pure motives, thinking that they are causing me distress in my ^[r](AL)imprisonment. ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.

But not only that, I also will rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that this will turn out for my ^[s]deliverance ^(AM)through your ^[t]prayers and the provision of ^(AN)the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰ according to my ^(AO)eager expectation and ^(AP)hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with ^(AQ)all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be ^(AR)exalted in my body, ^(AS)whether by life or by death.

To Live Is Christ

²¹ For to me, ^(AT)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ^22 [u]But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean ^(AU)fruitful labor for me; and I do not know ^[v]which to choose. ²³ But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the ^(AV)desire to depart and ^(AW)be with Christ, for that is very much better; ²⁴ yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes. ^25 (AX)Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy ^[w]in the faith, ²⁶ so that your ^(AY)pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again.

²⁷ Only conduct yourselves in a manner ^(AZ)worthy of the ^(BA)gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are ^(BB)standing firm in ^(BC)one spirit, with one ^[x]mind ^(BD)striving together for the faith of the gospel; ²⁸ and in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a ^(BE)sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and this too, from God. ²⁹ For to you ^(BF)it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to ^(BG)suffer on His behalf, ³⁰ experiencing the same ^(BH)conflict which ^(BI)you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Be like Christ

2 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any ^(BJ)fellowship of the Spirit, if any ^[y](BK)affection and compassion, ^2 (BL)make my joy complete ^[z]by ^(BM)being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. ³ Do nothing ^[aa]from ^[ab](BN)selfishness or ^(BO)empty conceit, but with humility ^(BP)consider one another as more important than yourselves; ^4 (BQ)do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ^5 (BR)Have this attitude ^[ac]in yourselves which was also in ^(BS)Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, as He already ^(BT)existed in the ^(BU)form of God, ^(BV)did not consider equality with God something to be ^[ad]grasped, ⁷ but ^[ae](BW)emptied Himself by taking the form of a ^(BX)bond-servant and ^[af](BY)being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, ^(BZ)He humbled Himself by becoming ^(CA)obedient to the point of death: ^(CB)death ^[ag]on a cross. ^9 (CC)For this reason also God ^(CD)highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him ^(CE)the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus ^(CF)every knee will bow, of ^(CG)those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is ^(CH)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹² So then, my beloved, ^(CI)just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own ^(CJ)salvation with ^(CK)fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is ^(CL)God who is at work in you, both to ^[ah]desire and to work ^(CM)for His good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things without ^(CN)complaining or arguments; ¹⁵ so that you will ^[ai]prove yourselves to be ^(CO)blameless and innocent, ^(CP)children of God above reproach in the midst of a ^(CQ)crooked and perverse generation, among whom you ^[aj](CR)appear as ^[ak]lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding firmly the word of life, so that on ^(CS)the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not ^(CT)run in vain nor ^(CU)labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being ^(CV)poured out as a drink offering upon ^(CW)the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. ¹⁸ You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ But I hope, ^[al]in the Lord Jesus, to ^(CX)send ^(CY)Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. ²⁰ For I have no one else ^(CZ)of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. ²¹ For they all ^(DA)seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. ²² But you know ^(DB)of his proven character, that ^(DC)he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel ^(DD)like a child serving his father. ^23 (DE)Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; ²⁴ and ^(DF)I trust in the Lord that I myself will also be coming shortly. ²⁵ But I thought it necessary to send to you ^(DG)Epaphroditus, my brother and ^(DH)fellow worker and ^(DI)fellow soldier, who is also your ^[am](DJ)messenger and ^(DK)minister to my need, ²⁶ because he was longing ^[an]for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷ For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. ^29 (DL)Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and ^(DM)hold people like him in high regard, ³⁰ because he came close to death ^[ao](DN)for the work of Christ, risking his life to ^(DO)compensate ^[ap]for your absence in your service to me.

The Goal of Life

3 Finally, my brothers and sisters, ^(DP)rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.

² Beware of the ^(DQ)dogs, beware of the ^(DR)evil workers, beware of the ^[aq]false circumcision; ³ for ^(DS)we are the true ^[ar]circumcision, who ^(DT)worship in the Spirit of God and take ^(DU)pride in ^(DV)Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, ⁴ although ^(DW)I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: ^5 (DX)circumcised the eighth day, of the ^(DY)nation of Israel, of the ^(DZ)tribe of Benjamin, a ^(EA)Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, ^(EB)a Pharisee; ⁶ as to zeal, ^(EC)a persecutor of the church; as to the ^(ED)righteousness which is in the Law, found ^(EE)blameless.

⁷ But ^(EF)whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. ⁸ More than that, I count all things to be loss ^[as]in view of the surpassing value of ^[at](EG)knowing ^(EH)Christ Jesus my Lord, ^[au]for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, ⁹ and may be found in Him, not having ^(EI)a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, ^(EJ)the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, ¹⁰ that I may ^(EK)know Him and ^(EL)the power of His resurrection and ^[av](EM)the fellowship of His sufferings, being ^(EN)conformed to His death; ¹¹ if somehow I may ^(EO)attain to the resurrection from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already ^[aw](EP)grasped it all or have already ^(EQ)become perfect, but I press on if I may also ^(ER)take hold of that ^[ax]for which I ^(ES)was even taken hold of by ^(ET)Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: ^(EU)forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I ^(EV)press on toward the goal for the prize of the ^(EW)upward call of God in ^(EX)Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Therefore, all who are ^[ay](EY)mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a ^(EZ)different attitude, ^(FA)God will reveal that to you as well; ¹⁶ however, let’s keep ^[az](FB)living by that same standard to which we have attained.

¹⁷ Brothers and sisters, ^(FC)join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the ^(FD)pattern you have in us. ¹⁸ For ^(FE)many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I ^(FF)weep, that they are the enemies of ^(FG)the cross of Christ, ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their ^[ba](FH)appetite, and whose ^(FI)glory is in their shame, who ^(FJ)have their minds on earthly things. ²⁰ For ^(FK)our ^[bb]citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly ^(FL)wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ who will ^(FM)transform the body of our lowly condition into ^(FN)conformity with ^[bc]His ^(FO)glorious body, ^(FP)by the exertion of the power that He has even to ^(FQ)subject all things to Himself.

Think of Excellence

4 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, ^[bd]whom I ^(FR)long to see, my joy and crown, ^(FS)stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

² I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to ^[be](FT)live in harmony in the Lord. ³ Indeed, true ^[bf]companion, I ask you also, help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement as well as the rest of my ^(FU)fellow workers, whose ^(FV)names are in the book of life.

^4 (FW)Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. ^(FX)The Lord is ^[bg]near. ^6 (FY)Do not ^[bh]be anxious about anything, but in everything by ^(FZ)prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And ^(GA)the peace of God, which surpasses all ^[bi]comprehension, will ^(GB)guard your hearts and ^(GC)minds in ^(GD)Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, ^(GE)whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is ^[bj]lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen ^(GF)in me, practice these things, and ^(GG)the God of peace will be with you.

God’s Provisions

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last ^(GH)you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked an opportunity to act. ¹¹ Not that I speak ^[bk]from need, for I have learned to be ^[bl](GI)content in whatever circumstances I am. ¹² I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going ^(GJ)hungry, both of having abundance and ^(GK)suffering need. ¹³ I can do all things ^[bm]through Him who ^(GL)strengthens me. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, you have done well to ^(GM)share with me in my difficulty.

¹⁵ You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the ^[bn](GN)first preaching of the gospel, after I left ^(GO)Macedonia, no church ^(GP)shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone; ¹⁶ for even in ^(GQ)Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. ^17 (GR)Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek the ^[bo]profit which increases to your account. ¹⁸ But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am ^[bp]amply supplied, having received from ^(GS)Epaphroditus ^[bq]what you have sent, ^[br](GT)a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And ^(GU)my God will supply ^[bs]all your needs according to His ^(GV)riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ Now to ^(GW)our God and Father ^(GX)be the glory ^[bt]forever and ever. Amen.

²¹ Greet every ^[bu]saint in Christ Jesus. ^(GY)The brothers who are with me greet you. ^22 (GZ)All the ^[bv](HA)saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

^23 (HB)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ ^(HC)be with your spirit.