Greetings from Paul and Timothy (Colossians 1:1–2; Philemon 1:1–3)
1 UDB I, Paul, am writing this to the dear fellow believers who live in the city of Philippi. Paul and Timothy send this letter to all of you in Philippi whom God has set apart for himself, you who are joined to Christ Jesus. We are also sending this letter to the overseers and deacons who are serving there. BSB BSB: Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2 UDB We pray that God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord will be kind to you and give you peace. BSB BSB: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer (1 Corinthians 1:4–9; Colossians 1:3–14)
3 UDB I thank my God as I pray to him whenever I think about you. BSB BSB: I thank my God every time I remember you.
4 UDB I am constantly praying for you with joy BSB BSB: In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy,
5 UDB and thanking God because you are working with Timothy, me, and others in proclaiming the good news from the first day you believed until now. BSB BSB: because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
7 UDB It is right for me to feel this way about you because I love you from my heart. You have been partners with me in carrying out the work that God kindly gave me to do, whether now as I am in prison or when I speak in public about the good news and show people that it is true. BSB BSB: It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partners in grace with me.
8 UDB God sees how deeply I desire to be with you, just as I deeply love you all, just as Christ Jesus tenderly loves us all. BSB BSB: God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 UDB I am praying for you, that you might love each other more and more, and that you might know and understand why God wants you to do so. BSB BSB: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
10 UDB I also pray that God will enable you to know what you should believe and the best ways in which you should act. I pray for this so that you might be honest and blameless at the time when Christ returns. BSB BSB: so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
11 UDB I also pray that you will always do the things that you can do because God has declared you good in his sight because of Jesus Christ. Then other people will see how you honor God. BSB BSB: filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Paul’s Trials Advance the Gospel (James 1:2–12)
12 UDB My fellow believers, I want you to know that the hard things I have suffered have not prevented me from proclaiming the good news to people. Instead, my hardships have enabled even more people to hear the good news about Christ. BSB BSB: Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually served to advance the gospel.
13 UDB In particular, all the military guards here and many other people in this city now know that I am a prisoner because I proclaim the good news about Christ. BSB BSB: As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
14 UDB Also, most of the believers here now proclaim the good news about Jesus more courageously and fearlessly because they trust the Lord more firmly to help them. They speak about Jesus more confidently because they have seen the Lord help me in prison to speak the good news. BSB BSB: And most of the brothers, confident in the Lord by my chains, now dare more greatly to speak the word without fear.
15 UDB Some people are proclaiming the good news because they are jealous and they want people to honor them rather than me. But others are proclaiming the good news because they want to help people. BSB BSB: It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16 UDB Those who want to help people proclaim the good news because they love Christ and because they know that God put me to here to explain why the good news is true. BSB BSB: The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
17 UDB But those who are proclaiming the good news about Christ for selfish reasons do not have good reasons for doing so. They believe they are causing me more suffering while I am here in prison. BSB BSB: The former, however, preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can add to the distress of my chains.
18 UDB But it does not matter! People are proclaiming the good news about Christ, either for good reasons or for bad reasons. So I am rejoicing that people are spreading the message about Jesus Christ! And I will continue to rejoice in that! BSB BSB: What then is the issue? Just this: that in every way, whether by false motives or true, Christ is preached. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
19 UDB I will rejoice because I know that God will free me from prison. He will do this because you are praying for me and because the Spirit of Jesus Christ is helping me. BSB BSB: because I know that through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, my distress will turn out for my deliverance.
20 UDB I eagerly and confidently expect that in no way will I fail to do what I should do. Instead, I will have courage now, just as in the past. I will honor Christ with my body, whether I live or die. BSB BSB: I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
To Live Is Christ 21 UDB As for me, I live to honor Christ. But if I die, it will be even better for me. BSB BSB: For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 UDB On the other hand, if I continue to live here in my body in this world, I will be able to serve Christ here. So I do not know whether I prefer to live or to die. BSB BSB: But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know.
23 UDB I cannot choose which I prefer, living or dying. I long to die and leave this world and go to be with Christ because to be with Christ would be very much better for anyone. BSB BSB: I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.
24 UDB But it is more necessary that I remain alive here on earth because you still need me to help you. BSB BSB: But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
25 UDB Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain alive with you all to help you rejoice and trust Christ more. BSB BSB: Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 UDB So you should be happy about me because of Christ Jesus when I am once again with you. BSB BSB: so that through my coming to you again your exultation in Christ Jesus will resound on account of me.
Worthy of the Gospel 27 UDB Most importantly, behave in front of the people who live around you in a way that shows that you honor the good news about Christ. Do this so that, whether or not I come and see you, how you live will make me happy. They should tell me that you together are doing your best to believe and live as the good news teaches us. BSB BSB: Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending together as one for the faith of the gospel,
28 UDB Do not let any of those people who are against you frighten you! When you are courageous and you resist them, this will show them that God will destroy them but will save you. BSB BSB: without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a clear sign of their destruction but of your salvation, and it is from God.
29 UDB God is kind to you: He is allowing you to suffer for Christ as well as to trust in him. BSB BSB: For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him,
30 UDB You are having to resist those who oppose the good news, just like you saw that I had to resist such people there in Philippi, and just like you hear that I still have to resist such people here now. BSB BSB: since you are encountering the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.