PAUL and Timotheus, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, as well as to the bishops and deacons:

having confidence as to this same thing, that the one having begun a good work in you will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ:

Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

For God is my witness, how much I long for you all, as with the bowels of Jesus Christ.

and the favour I ask of him is this, that your kindness to me may be crown'd with farther improvements in knowledge and all prudence;

that ye might accept things most excellent, that ye might be pure and such as should hurt no man's conscience, until the day of Christ;

being complete as regards the fruit of righteousness, which is by Jesus Christ, to God's glory and praise.

But I wish you to know, brothers, that the things as to me have resulted in the advancement of the gospel,

so that my bonds have become manifest as being in Christ in all the praetorium and to all others;

but the former proclaim Christ for their own ends, with mixed motives, intending to annoy me as I lie in prison.

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 earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

As life means Christ to me, so death means gain.

If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice].

and my inclination to abide in this life, as being more advantageous for YOU:

And as I am confident of this, I know that I shall abide and shall continue with you all, for your improvement and the joy of your faith:

so that, as Christians, you may have additional reason for glorying about me as the result of my being with you again.

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

because to you has been given, as regards Christ, not only the believing on him but the suffering for him also,

the same conflict having, such as ye saw in me, and now hear of in me.

If then I can appeal to you as the followers of Christ, if there is any persuasive power in love and any common sharing of the Spirit, or if you have any tender-heartedness and compassion, make my joy complete by being of one mind,

let nothing be in the spirit of strife or vain glory, but, in lowliness of mind, each esteeming the other as more excellent than themselves;

Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.

Treat one another with the same spirit as you experience in Christ Jesus.

who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be used for His own advantage.

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].

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,

that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of celestial beings, as well as of those on earth, and of those under the earth;

And that every tongue should acknowledge JESUS CHRIST as LORD- -to the glory of God the Father.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

for it is God Himself who is at work in you to help you desire it as well as do it.

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

holding forth the word of life, so as to be a boast for me in Christ's day, that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain.

But if also I am poured out as a libation on the sacrifice and ministration of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice in common with you all.

just as you must be glad and congratulate me.

I hope, however, as one who trusts in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you before long, so that I may myself be cheered by receiving news of you.

For, no one, have I, of equal soul, who, genuinely, as to the things that concern you, will be anxious;

But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.

but trusting, as I do, in the Lord, I believe that I shall myself also come to you before long.

However, I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, [who has been] my brother and companion and fellow soldier, who was also sent as your messenger to take care of my needs.

So take him to your hearts in the Lord with all joy, and give honour to such as he is:

because it was for the sake of Christ's work that he came so near death, hazarding, as he did, his very life in endeavouring to make good any deficiency that there might be in your gifts to me.

As to the rest, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord; the same things to write to you to me indeed is not tiresome, and for you is sure;

Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

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 more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ,

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.

And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did];

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Brothers, I don't regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,

I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Only, as far as we have got, let us be guided by the same rule.

Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

For there are many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, who live as enemies of the cross of Christ [rejecting and opposing His way of salvation],

for our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens, from which also we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour,

I entreat Euodia, and I entreat Syntyche, to be of one mind, as sisters in Christ.

yea, I ask thee also, true yokefellow, assist them, who have contended along with me in the glad tidings, with Clement also, and my other fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life.

As to the rest, brethren, as many things as are true, as many as are grave, as many as are righteous, as many as are pure, as many as are lovely, as many as are of good report, if any worthiness, and if any praise, these things think upon;

It was a matter of great joy to me, as one in union with the Lord, that at length your interest in me had revived. The interest indeed you had, but not the opportunity.

Not that I speak as regards privation, for as to me I have learnt in those circumstances in which I am, to be satisfied in myself.

Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

You have paid me in full, and more too. I am fully supplied with what I have received from you through Epaphroditus. It is like fragrant incense, just such a sacrifice as God welcomes and approves.