Philippians 1 - Amplified Bible(AMP)

Thanksgiving

1Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed),

To all the saints (God’s people) in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:

2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3I thank my God in every remembrance of you,

4always offering every prayer of mine with joy for all of you,

5[thanking God] for your participation and partnership in the good news from the first day until now.

6I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.

7It is right for me to feel this way about you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the good news, all of you share in grace with me.

8For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more in real knowledge and in practical insight,

10so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent, and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ;

11filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Gospel Is Preached

12Now I want you to know, believers, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the good news.

13My imprisonment in Christ has become common knowledge throughout the whole praetorian (imperial) guard and to everyone else.

14Because of my chains, most of the brothers have renewed confidence in the Lord, and have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

15Some, it is true, are preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill and a loyal spirit.

16The latter out of love, because they know that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel;

17but the former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, thinking that they are causing me distress in my imprisonment.

18What then? So long as in every way, whether in pretense or in all honesty, Christ is being preached; and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will rejoice,

19for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance and spiritual well-being, through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

20It is my own eager expectation and hope, that I will not disgrace myself nor be ashamed in anything, but that with courage and the utmost freedom of speech, even now as always, Christ will be magnified and exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

To Live Is Christ

21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

22If, 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.

23But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave and be with Christ, for that is far, far better;

24yet to remain in my body is more necessary and essential for your sake.

25Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

26so that your rejoicing for me may overflow in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.

27Only lead your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I do come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.

28And in no way be alarmed or intimidated by your opponents, for such is a sign for them of destruction, but for you of deliverance and salvation, and that too, from God.

29For you have been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe and confidently trust in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

30[and so you are] experiencing the same conflict which you saw me endure, and which you hear to be mine now.