Philippians.
Before
CHRIST,
A.D. 64.
CHAP. 1.
Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, [1]
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: [2]
7 Even as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. [3] [4]
8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long after you all in the affection of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; [5]
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; [6] [7] 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened to me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are known in all the palace, and in all other places ; [8] [9] [10]
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, being more confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife; and some also from good will:
16 The one preach Christ from contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other from love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I in this do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 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 shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.
21 For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I know not.
23 For I am in a strait between the two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
26 That your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.
27 Only let your conduct 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;
28 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.
29 For to you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
CHAP. 2.
If there is therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. [11]
9 Therefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; [12] [13]
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
17 Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. [14]
18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly to you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. [15]
20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. [16]
21 For all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.
22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.
23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.
24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.
25 Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because ye had heard that he was sick.
27 For indeed he was sick near to death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
28 I sent him therefore the more eagerly, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. [17]
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: [18]
30 Because for the work of Christ he was near to death, not regarding his life, to supply the want of your service toward me.
CHAP. 3.
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.
3 For we are the true circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath reason to trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; with respect to the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; with respect to the righteousness which is by the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them to be dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death;
11 If by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I press on, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended by Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye are otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you.
16 Nevertheless, to what we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them who walk even as ye have us for an example.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20 For our citizenship is in heaven; from which also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: [19]
21 Who shall change our lowly body, that it may be fashioned like his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself.
CHAP. 4.
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
3 And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women who laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things. [20]
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; in which ye were also concerned, but ye lacked opportunity. [21]
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatever state I am, with that to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.
14 However ye have done well, that ye did share with my affliction.
15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again to my necessity.
17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. [22]
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
20 Now to God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you.
22 All the saints greet you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
To the Philippians written from Rome, by Epaphroditus. edit
- ↑ remembrance: or, mention
- ↑ perform: or, finish
- ↑ I have...: or, ye have me in your heart
- ↑ of my...: or, with me of grace
- ↑ judgment: or, sense
- ↑ approve: or, try
- ↑ are...: or, differ
- ↑ in Christ: or, for Christ
- ↑ the palace: or, Caesar’s court
- ↑ in all other...: or, to all others
- ↑ fashion: or habit
- ↑ harmless: or, sincere
- ↑ ye shine: or, shine ye
- ↑ offered: Gr. poured forth
- ↑ But: or, Moreover
- ↑ likeminded: or, so dear unto me
- ↑ carefully: or, with more anxious care
- ↑ hold...: or, honour such
- ↑ conversation...: or, we live or conduct ourselves as citizens of heaven, or, for obtaining heaven
- ↑ honest: or, venerable
- ↑ hath...: or, is revived
- ↑ I have all: or, I have received all