Philippians 1
Open in the reader1Paul and Honoring-God, servants of The-Anointed-One He-Who-Is-Saves, To all the devoted ones in The-Anointed-One He-Who-Is-Saves at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord He-Who-Is-Saves The-Anointed-One.
3I thank my God every time I remember you.
4In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy,
5because of your partnership in the good news from the first day until now,
6being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of The-Anointed-One He-Who-Is-Saves.
7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the good news, you are all partners in grace with me.
8God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of The-Anointed-One He-Who-Is-Saves.
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
10so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of The-Anointed-One,
11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through He-Who-Is-Saves The-Anointed-One, to the glory and praise of God.
12Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually served to advance the good news.
13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for The-Anointed-One.
14And most of the brothers, confident in the Lord by my chains, now dare more greatly to speak the word without fear.
15It is true that some preach The-Anointed-One out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the good news.
17The former, however, preach The-Anointed-One out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can add to the distress of my chains.
18What then is the issue? Just this: that in every way, whether by false motives or true, The-Anointed-One is preached. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
19because I know that through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of He-Who-Is-Saves The-Anointed-One, my distress will turn out for my deliverance.
20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always The-Anointed-One will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
21For to me, to live is The-Anointed-One, and to die is gain.
22But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know.
23I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with The-Anointed-One, which is far better indeed.
24But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,
26so that through my coming to you again your exultation in The-Anointed-One He-Who-Is-Saves will resound on account of me.
27Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the good news of The-Anointed-One. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending together as one for the faith of the good news,
28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a clear sign of their destruction but of your salvation, and it is from God.
29For it has been granted to you on behalf of The-Anointed-One not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him,
30since you are encountering the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.