1<\/sup>Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.<\/span> <\/p>\n 2<\/sup>Grace and peace to you, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/span> <\/p>\n 3<\/sup>I give thanks to my God, with every remembrance of you,<\/span> <\/p>\n 4<\/sup>always, in all my prayers, making supplication for all of you with joy,<\/span> <\/p>\n 5<\/sup>because of your communion in the Gospel of Christ, from the first day even until now.<\/span> <\/p>\n 6<\/sup>I am confident of this very thing: that he who has begun this good work in you will perfect it, unto the day of Christ Jesus.<\/span> <\/p>\n 7<\/sup>So then, it is right for me to feel this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, and because, in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel, you all are partakers of my joy.<\/span> <\/p>\n 8<\/sup>For God is my witness how, within the heart of Jesus Christ, I long for all of you.<\/span> <\/p>\n 9<\/sup>And this I pray: that your charity may abound more and more, with knowledge and with all understanding,<\/span> <\/p>\n 10<\/sup>so that you may be confirmed in what is better, in order that you may be sincere and without offense on the day of Christ:<\/span> <\/p>\n 11<\/sup>filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, in the glory and praise of God.<\/span> <\/p>\n 12<\/sup>Now, brothers, I want you to know that the things concerning me happened for the advancement of the Gospel,<\/span> <\/p>\n 13<\/sup>in such a way that my chains have become manifest in Christ in every place of judgment and in all other such places.<\/span> <\/p>\n 14<\/sup>And many from among the brothers in the Lord, becoming confident through my chains, are now much bolder in speaking the Word of God without fear.<\/span> <\/p>\n 15<\/sup>Certainly, some do so even because of envy and contention; and others, too, do so because of a good will to preach Christ.<\/span> <\/p>\n 16<\/sup>Some act out of charity, knowing that I have been appointed for the defense of the Gospel.<\/span> <\/p>\n 17<\/sup>But others, out of contention, announce Christ insincerely, claiming that their difficulties lift them up to my chains.<\/span> <\/p>\n 18<\/sup>But what does it matter? As long as, by every means, whether under pretext or in truthfulness, Christ is announced. And about this, I rejoice, and moreover, I will continue to rejoice.<\/span> <\/p>\n 19<\/sup>For I know that this will bring me to salvation, through your prayers and under the ministration of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,<\/span> <\/p>\n 20<\/sup>by means of my own expectation and hope. For in nothing shall I be confounded. Instead, with all confidence, now just as always, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.<\/span> <\/p>\n 21<\/sup>For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.<\/span> <\/p>\n 22<\/sup>And while I live in the flesh, for me, there is the fruit of works. But I do not know which I would choose.<\/span> <\/p>\n 23<\/sup>For I am constrained between the two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is the far better thing,<\/span> <\/p>\n 24<\/sup>but then to remain in the flesh is necessary for your sake.<\/span> <\/p>\n 25<\/sup>And having this confidence, I know that I shall remain and that I shall continue to remain with all of you, for your advancement and for your joy in the faith,<\/span> <\/p>\n 26<\/sup>so that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus for me, through my return to you again.<\/span> <\/p>\n 27<\/sup>Only let your behavior be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that, whether I return and see you, or whether, being absent, I hear about you, still you may stand firm with one spirit, with one mind, laboring together for the faith of the Gospel.<\/span> <\/p>\n 28<\/sup>And in nothing be terrified by the adversaries. For what is to them is an occasion of perdition, is to you an occasion of salvation, and this is from God.<\/span> <\/p>\n 29<\/sup>For this has been given to you on behalf of Christ, not only so that you may believe in him, but even so that you may suffer with him,<\/span> <\/p>\n 30<\/sup>engaging in the same struggle, of a kind which you also have seen in me, and which you now have heard from me.<\/span> <\/p>\n