章 |
1:1 |
Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:
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1:2 |
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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1:3 |
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
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1:4 |
always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,
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1:5 |
in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.
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1:6 |
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
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1:7 |
For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.
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1:8 |
For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
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1:9 |
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
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1:10 |
so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;
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1:11 |
having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
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1:12 |
Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,
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1:13 |
so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,
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1:14 |
and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.
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1:15 |
Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will;
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1:16 |
the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;
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1:17 |
the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.
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1:18 |
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,
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1:19 |
for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
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1:20 |
according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
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1:21 |
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
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1:22 |
But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.
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1:23 |
But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
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1:24 |
yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
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1:25 |
Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
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1:26 |
so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.
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1:27 |
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
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1:28 |
in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.
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1:29 |
For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
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1:30 |
experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
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