But, those, out of faction, are declaring, the Christ, not purely - supposing to rouse up, tribulation, with my bonds.

What then [does it matter]? So long as in every way, whether in pretense [for self-promotion] or in all honesty [to spread the truth], Christ is being preached; and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will rejoice [later as well],

The outcome of all this, I know, will be my release, as you continue to pray for me, and as I am provided with the Spirit of Jesus Christ ??20 my eager desire and hope being that I may never feel ashamed but that now as ever I may do honour to Christ in my own person by fearless courage. Whether that means life or death, no matter!

According to my eager outlook and hope, that, in nothing, shall I be put to shame, but, with all freedom of speech, as always, now also, shall Christ be magnified in my body, whether through means of life, or of death.

But, if living in flesh, is Christ , this, unto me, is a fruit of work, - and, what I shall choose, I make not known:

But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better;

But, to abide still in the flesh, is more needful for your sake;

And in no way be alarmed or intimidated [in anything] by your opponents, for such [constancy and fearlessness on your part] is a [clear] sign [a proof and a seal] for them of [their impending] destruction, but [a clear sign] for you of deliverance and salvation, and that too, from God.

Because, unto you, hath it been given as a favour, in behalf of Christ, not only, on him, to believe, but also, in his behalf, to suffer: -

Nothing by way of faction, nothing by way of vain-glory, - but, in lowliness of mind, accounting, one another, superior to yourselves, -

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

who tho' he was the image of God, did not affect to appear with divine majesty, but divested himself thereof,

but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man].

So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].

But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

but you also rejoice in this same thing, and rejoice along with me.

But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may also be encouraged by learning news about you.

For I have no one but him to send--no one of kindred spirit who would take the same genuine interest in your welfare.

But you know of Timothy’s tested worth and his proven character, that he has served with me to advance the gospel like a son serving with his father.

and I trust [confidently] in the Lord that soon I also will be coming to you.

Needful, nevertheless have I accounted it - Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, but your apostle and public minister to my need, to send unto you;

He certainly was sick and close to 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.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in Lord. To write the same things to you is really not irksome to me, but safe for you.

However I, myself, have [reasons for such] confidence in the flesh. [But] if any other person has [reasons for placing] confidence in the flesh, I have more [reasons].

as to zeal persecuting the church, as to the righteousness of the law blameless: but those things,

But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then], these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and the purpose which He has given my life].

But indeed therefore I even consider all things to be loss because of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, because of whom I suffered the loss of all things, and consider them to be rubbish, so that I may gain C

and may be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.

Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

But one thing I do, forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth unto the things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

but to what we have come -- by the same rule walk, the same thing think;

For many live, of whom I spoke about to you many times, but now speak about even weeping, [as] the enemies of the cross of Christ,

But [we are different, because] our citizenship is in heaven. And from there we eagerly await [the coming of] the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

Yes, and I am asking you also, [my] faithful partner [Note: This person is unknown, but may have been one of Paul's preacher companions], help those women, for they have worked hard with me in [spreading] the Gospel, along with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life. [See Rev. 3:5; Heb. 12:23].

Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord, that now at last you have renewed your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned about me before, but you had no opportunity to show it.

But I will not say anything about my needs, for I am able, wherever I am, to be dependent on myself.

Nevertheless, it was right of you to share [with me] in my difficulties.

And you have knowledge, Philippians, that when the good news first came to you, when I went away from Macedonia, no church took part with me in the business of giving to the saints, but you only;

for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.

Not that I seek the gift itself, but I do seek the profit which increases to your [heavenly] account [the blessing which is accumulating for you].

But I have received everything in full and more; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. They are the fragrant aroma of an offering, an acceptable sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

But to our God and Father be glory to the ages of ages. Amen.

All the saints salute you, but especially they who are of Caesar's household.

which is not only come to you, but to all the world; where it produces its effects, and increases, as it does also among you, ever since you sincerely embrac'd the divine favour,

And you, being formerly alienated and hostile in mind, in works, in things evil. But now he has reconciled

But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him—

I am suffering now on your behalf, but I rejoice in that; I would make up the full sum of all that Christ has to suffer in my person on behalf of the church, his Body;

In it, by divine appointment, I became a worker, that I might preach among you the message of God in its fulness??26 that secret, hidden from the ages and generations, but now disclosed to those who are consecrated to him,

that is, the mystery which was hidden [from angels and mankind] for ages and generations, but has now been revealed to His saints (God’s people).

But I say this that no one may mislead you with persuasive words.

For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.

In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but by the [spiritual] circumcision of Christ in the stripping off of the body of the flesh [the sinful carnal nature],

Such things are only a shadow of what is to come and they have only symbolic value; but the substance [the reality of what is foreshadowed] belongs to Christ.

Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind.

These practices indeed have the appearance [that popularly passes as that] of wisdom in self-made religion and mock humility and severe treatment of the body (asceticism), but are of no value against sinful indulgence [because they do not honor God].

But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth.

Lie not one to another, but strip off the old self with its doings,

a renewal in which there is no [distinction between] Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, [nor between nations whether] barbarian or Scythian, [nor in status whether] slave or free, but Christ is all, and in all [so believers are equal in Christ, without distinction].

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

may the peace of Christ, to which you are called to be but one body, influence your hearts, to be benevolent.

Servants, in everything obey those who are your masters on earth, not only with external service, as those who merely please people, but with sincerity of heart because of your fear of the Lord.

Work at everything you do with all your hearts, as work done not for men only but for the Lord,

But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

for our good news [regarding salvation] came to you not only in word, but also in [its inherent] power and in the Holy Spirit and with great conviction [on our part]. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your benefit.

And you yourselves began to follow, not only our example, but the Master's also; and, in spite of much suffering, you welcomed the Message with a joy inspired by the Holy Spirit,

For the word of the Lord has resounded from you and has echoed [like thunder], not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place [the news of] your [great] faith in God has spread, so that we never need to say anything about it.

For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance to you, that it was not in vain: But even after we had suffered before,

but after we had already suffered and been outrageously treated in Philippi, as you know, yet in [the strength of] our God we summoned the courage to proclaim boldly to you the good news of God [regarding salvation] amid great opposition.

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel [that tells the good news of salvation through faith in Christ], so we speak, not as [if we were trying] to please people [to gain power and popularity], but to please God who examines our hearts [expecting our best].

[And] we were not looking for honor from people, either from you or from anyone else, even though, as apostles of Christ, we could have become a burden [to you]. [Note: The idea seems to be that the apostles could have claimed financial support, but chose not to].

But we behaved gently when we were among you, like a devoted mother tenderly caring for her own children.

Having such a deep affection for you, we were delighted to share with you not only God’s good news but also our own lives, because you had become so very dear to us.

And we also thank God continually for this, that when you received the word of God [concerning salvation] which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its inherent, supernatural power in those of faith].

who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men,

forbidding us from speaking to the Gentiles (non-Jews) so that they may be saved. So, as always, they fill up [to the brim] the measure of their sins [allotted to them by God]. But [God’s] wrath has come upon them at last [completely and forever].

But since we were taken away from you, believers, for a little while—in person, but not in heart—we endeavored, with great longing to see you face to face.

For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again [wanted to come], but Satan hindered us.

For what is my hope, or joy? What is the victor's wreath in which I exult? What but your own selves in the presence of our Lord Jesus, at his coming!

But when I could stand it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I was afraid that the tempter had tempted you in some way, and that our work had been a waste of time.

But now of Timothy, having come to us from you, and having proclaimed good news to us of your faith and love, and that ye always have a good recollection of us, longing to see us, just as we also you,

But our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you.

But you, may the Lord make to exceed and abound in love toward one another, and toward all, even as we also towards you,

And last of all, the prayer which we make to you from our heart and in the name of the Lord Jesus, is this: that as we made clear to you what sort of behaviour is pleasing to God, as in fact you are doing now, so you will go on in these ways, but more and more.

For God did not call us to a life of immorality, but to one of personal purity.

So whoever rejects this teaching is rejecting not man but God who continues to put His Spirit in you.

But about brotherly love ye have no need to write to you, for ye yourselves are taught by God in order to love each other.

For ye are also doing it toward all the brothers in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, to abound more,

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about those who are asleep, so that ye may not grieve, as also the others who have no hope.

But as to times and dates, brothers, you have no need of anyone's writing you,

When people say, "Such peace and security!" then suddenly destruction falls upon them, like birth pains upon a woman who is about to become a mother, but they shall not escape, no, not at all.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that that day, like a thief, should take you by surprise;

So let us stop sleeping as others do, but let us stay awake and keep sober.

but let us who belong to the day keep sober, clothed with faith and love for a coat of mail and with the hope of salvation for a helmet.

For God appointed us not to reap His wrath but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we may live together with him.

But we make this request to you, my brothers: give attention to those who are working among you, who are over you in the Lord to keep order among you;

But we exhort you, brethren - admonish the disorderly, soothe them of little soul, help the weak, be longsuffering towards all: