Philippians 1:17-3:20

English Standard Version

¹⁷ The former proclaim Christ ^(A)out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. ¹⁸ What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

Yes, and I will rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that ^(B)through your prayers and ^(C)the help of ^(D)the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, ²⁰ as it is my eager expectation and hope ^(E)that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full ^(F)courage now as always Christ ^(G)will be honored in my body, ^(H)whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me ^(I)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. ^23 (J)I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is ^(K)to depart and ^(L)be with Christ, for that is far better. ²⁴ But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. ^25 (M)Convinced of this, ^(N)I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your ^(O)progress and ^(P)joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that in me ^(Q)you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

²⁷ Only ^(R)let your manner of life be ^(S)worthy^[a] of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you ^(T)that you are standing firm in one spirit, with ^(U)one mind ^(V)striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸ and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is ^(W)a clear sign to them of their destruction, but ^(X)of your salvation, and that from God. ²⁹ For ^(Y)it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also ^(Z)suffer for his sake, ³⁰ engaged in the same ^(AA)conflict that ^(AB)you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Christ's Example of Humility

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from ^(AC)love, any ^(AD)participation in the Spirit, any ^(AE)affection and sympathy, ^2 (AF)complete my joy by being ^(AG)of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from ^(AH)selfish ambition or ^(AI)conceit, but in ^(AJ)humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you ^(AK)look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ^5 (AL)Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,^{[b] 6 (AM)}who, though he was in ^(AN)the form of God, did not count equality with God ^(AO)a thing to be grasped,^{[c] 7} but ^(AP)emptied himself, by taking the form of a ^(AQ)servant,^{[d] (AR)}being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by ^(AS)becoming obedient to the point of death, ^(AT)even death on a cross. ^9 (AU)Therefore ^(AV)God has ^(AW)highly exalted him and bestowed on him ^(AX)the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus ^(AY)every knee should bow, ^(AZ)in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and ^(BA)every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is ^(BB)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lights in the World

¹² Therefore, my beloved, ^(BC)as you have always ^(BD)obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for ^(BE)it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for ^(BF)his good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things ^(BG)without grumbling or ^(BH)disputing, ¹⁵ that you may be blameless and innocent, ^(BI)children of God ^(BJ)without blemish ^(BK)in the midst of ^(BL)a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine ^(BM)as lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding fast to ^(BN)the word of life, so that in ^(BO)the day of Christ ^(BP)I may be proud that ^(BQ)I did not run in vain or labor in vain. ¹⁷ Even if I am to be ^(BR)poured out as a drink offering upon ^(BS)the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸ Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus ^(BT)to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. ²⁰ For I have no one ^(BU)like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. ²¹ For they all ^(BV)seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²² But you know Timothy's^{[e] (BW)}proven worth, how ^(BX)as a son^[f] with a father ^(BY)he has served with me in the gospel. ²³ I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, ²⁴ and ^(BZ)I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

²⁵ I have thought it necessary to send to you ^(CA)Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and ^(CB)fellow soldier, and your messenger and ^(CC)minister to my need, ²⁶ for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. ²⁷ Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. ²⁹ So ^(CD)receive him in the Lord with all joy, and ^(CE)honor such men, ³⁰ for he nearly died^{[g] (CF)}for the work of Christ, risking his life ^(CG)to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

3 Finally, my brothers,^{[h] (CH)}rejoice in the Lord. ^(CI)To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

² Look out for ^(CJ)the dogs, look out for ^(CK)the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. ³ For ^(CL)we are the circumcision, ^(CM)who worship ^(CN)by the Spirit of God^[i] and ^(CO)glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ^4 (CP)though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ^5 (CQ)circumcised on the eighth day, ^(CR)of the people of Israel, ^(CS)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(CT)a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ^(CU)a Pharisee; ^6 (CV)as to zeal, ^(CW)a persecutor of the church; ^(CX)as to righteousness under the law,^[j] blameless. ⁷ But ^(CY)whatever gain I had, ^(CZ)I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^(DA)the surpassing worth of ^(DB)knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^(DC)have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having ^(DD)a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^(DE)that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ^10 (DF)that I may know him and ^(DG)the power of his resurrection, and ^(DH)may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may ^(DI)attain the resurrection from the dead.

Straining Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already ^(DJ)obtained this or ^(DK)am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: ^(DL)forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for ^(DM)the prize of the upward ^(DN)call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are ^(DO)mature think this way, and if in anything ^(DP)you think otherwise, ^(DQ)God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶ Only ^(DR)let us hold true to what we have attained.

¹⁷ Brothers, ^(DS)join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk ^(DT)according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸ For ^(DU)many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you ^(DV)even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. ^19 (DW)Their end is destruction, ^(DX)their god is their belly, and ^(DY)they glory in their shame, with ^(DZ)minds set on earthly things. ²⁰ But ^(EA)our citizenship is in heaven, and ^(EB)from it we ^(EC)await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,