Greetings from Paul and Timothy (Colossians 1:1–2; Philemon 1:1–3)
1 WBS Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 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 WBS Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 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 WBS I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, BSB BSB: I thank my God every time I remember you.
4 WBS Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, BSB BSB: In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy,
5 WBS For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; BSB BSB: because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
7 WBS Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. 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 WBS For God is my witness, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. BSB BSB: God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 WBS And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; BSB BSB: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
10 WBS That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; 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 WBS Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of 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 WBS But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened to me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel; BSB BSB: Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually served to advance the gospel.
13 WBS So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places ; 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 WBS And many of the brethren in the Lord, becoming confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 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 WBS Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife; and some also from good will. BSB BSB: It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16 WBS The one preach Christ from contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: BSB BSB: The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
17 WBS But the other from love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. 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 WBS What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. 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 WBS For I know that this will turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 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 WBS According to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death. 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 WBS For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. BSB BSB: For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 WBS But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I know not. 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 WBS For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: BSB BSB: I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.
24 WBS Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. BSB BSB: But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
25 WBS And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 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 WBS That your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again. 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 WBS Only let your manner of life be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 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 WBS And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 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 WBS For to you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 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 WBS Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. BSB BSB: since you are encountering the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.