Study Desk

^(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:

^(j)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^(k)I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

always offering prayer with joy in ^(l)my every prayer for you all,

in view of your ^[c](m)participation in the ⁽ⁿ⁾gospel ^(o)from the first day until now.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until ^(p)the day of Christ Jesus.

^[d]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 ^[e](s)imprisonment and in the ^(t)defense and confirmation of the ^(u)gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.

For ^(v)God is my witness, how I long for you all with the ^[f]affection of ^(w)Christ Jesus.

And this I pray, that ^(x)your love may abound still more and more in ^(y)real knowledge and all discernment,

so that you may ^[g](z)approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless ^[h]until ^(aa)the day of Christ;

having been filled with the ^(ab)fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances ^(ac)have turned out for the greater progress of the ^(ad)gospel,

so that my ^[i](ae)imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole ^[j]praetorian guard and to ^(af)everyone else,

and that most of the ^[k]brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my ^[l](ag)imprisonment, have ^(ah)far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

^(ai)Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even ^[m]from envy and strife, but some also ^[n]from good will;

the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the ^(aj)gospel;

the former proclaim Christ ^(ak)out of selfish ambition ^[o]rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my ^[p](al)imprisonment.

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

for I know that this will turn out for my ^[q]deliverance ^(am)through your ^[r]prayers and the provision of ^(an)the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

according to my ^(ao)earnest 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.

For to me, ^(at)to live is Christ and to die is gain.

^[s]But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean ^(au)fruitful labor for me; and I do not know ^[t]which to choose.

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;

yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

^(ax)Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy ^[u]in the faith,

so that your ^(ay)proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.

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 of you that you are ^(bb)standing firm in ^(bc)one spirit, with one ^[v]mind ^(bd)striving together for the faith of the gospel;

in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a ^(be)sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.

For to you ^(bf)it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to ^(bg)suffer for His sake,

experiencing the same ^(bh)conflict which ^(bi)you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.