1This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God's holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the elders and deacons.G3972G2532G5095G1401G2424G5547G3956G40G1722G5547G2424G5607G1722G5375G4862G1985G2532G1249 2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.G5485G5213G2532G1515G575G2316G2257G3962G2532G2962G2424G5547 3Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.G2168G3450G2316G1909G3956G3417G5216 4Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,G3842G1722G3956G1162G3450G5228G5216G3956G4160G1162G3326G5479 5for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.G1909G5216G2842G1519G2098G575G4413G2250G891G3568 6And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.G3982G5124G846G3754G1728G18G2041G1722G5213G2005G891G2250G2424G5547 7So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.G2531G2076G1342G1698G5426G5124G5228G5216G3956G1223G2192G5209G1722G3165G2588G5037G1722G3450G1199G2532G627G2532G951G2098G5209G3956G5607G4791G3450G5485 8God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.G1063G2316G2076G3450G3144G5613G1971G5209G3956G1722G4698G2424G5547 9I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.G2532G5124G4336G2443G5216G26G4052G2089G3123G2532G3123G1722G1922G2532G3956G144 10For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.G1519G5209G1381G1308G2443G5600G1506G2532G677G1519G2250G5547 11May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.G4137G2590G1343G3588G1223G2424G5547G1519G1391G2532G1868G2316 12And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.G1161G1014G5209G1097G80G3754G2596G1691G2064G3123G1519G4297G2098 13For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.G5620G3450G1199G1722G5547G1096G5318G1722G3650G4232G2532G3956G3062 14And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear.G2532G4119G80G1722G2962G3982G3450G1199G4056G5111G2980G3056G870 15It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives.G5100G3303G2784G5547G2532G1223G5355G2532G2054G1161G5100G2532G1223G2107 16They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News.G3303G2605G5547G1537G2052G3756G55G3633G2018G2347G3450G1199 17Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me.G1161G1537G26G1492G3754G2749G1519G627G2098 18But that doesn't matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.G5101G1063G4133G3956G5158G1535G4392G1535G225G5547G2605G2532G5463G1722G5129G5463G235G2532G5463 19For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.G1063G1492G3754G5124G576G1519G3427G4991G1223G5216G1162G2532G2024G4151G2424G5547 20For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.G2596G3450G603G2532G1680G3754G1722G3762G153G235G1722G3956G3954G5613G3842G3568G2532G5547G3170G1722G3450G4983G1535G1223G2222G1535G1223G2288 21For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.G1063G1698G2198G5547G2532G599G2771 22But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better.G1161G1487G2198G1722G4561G5124G2590G2041G3427G2532G5101G138G1107G3756 23I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.G1063G4912G1537G1417G2192G1939G1519G360G2532G1511G4862G5547G4183G3123G2908 24But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.G1161G1961G1722G4561G316G1223G5209 25Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith.G2532G5124G3982G1492G3754G3306G2532G4839G5213G3956G1519G5216G4297G2532G5479G4102 26And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.G2443G5216G2745G4052G1722G2424G5547G1722G1698G1223G1699G3952G4314G5209G3825 27Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.G3440G4176G516G2098G5547G2443G1535G2064G2532G1492G5209G1535G548G191G5216G4012G3754G4739G1722G1520G4151G3391G5590G4866G4102G2098 28Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.G2532G1722G3367G3361G4426G5259G480G3748G2076G846G3303G1732G684G1161G5213G4991G2532G5124G575G2316 29For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.G3754G5213G5483G5228G5547G3756G3440G4100G1519G846G235G2532G3958G5228G846G5228 30We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.G2192G846G73G3634G1492G1492G1722G1698G2532G3568G191G1722G1698
2Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?G3767G1536G3874G1722G5547G1536G3890G26G1536G2842G4151G1536G4698G2532G3628 2Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.G4137G3450G5479G2443G846G5426G2192G846G26G4861G1520G5426 3Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.G3367G2596G2052G2228G2754G235G5012G2233G240G2233G240G5242G1438 4Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.G4648G3361G1538G1438G235G1538G2532G3588G2087 5You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.G1063G5426G5124G5426G1722G5213G3739G2532G1722G5547G2424 6Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.G3739G5225G1722G3444G2316G2233G3756G725G1511G2470G2316 7Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,G235G2758G1438G2758G2983G3444G1401G1096G1722G3667G444 8he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.G2532G2147G4976G5613G444G5013G1438G1096G5255G3360G2288G1161G2288G4716 9Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,G1352G2316G2532G5251G846G2532G5483G846G3686G3588G5228G3956G3686 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,G2443G1722G3686G2424G3956G1119G2578G2032G2532G1919G2532G2709 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.G2532G3956G1100G1843G3754G2424G5547G2962G1519G1391G2316G3962 12Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.G5620G3450G27G2531G5219G3842G5219G3361G5613G1722G3450G3952G3440G235G3568G4183G3123G1722G3450G666G2716G1438G4991G3326G5401G2532G5156 13For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.G1063G2076G2316G3588G1754G1722G5213G2532G2309G2532G1754G5228G2107 14Do everything without complaining and arguing,G4160G3956G5565G1112G2532G1261 15so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.G2443G1096G273G2532G185G5043G2316G298G1722G3319G4646G2532G1294G1074G1722G3739G5316G5613G5458G1722G2889 16Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.G1907G3056G2222G1519G1698G2745G1519G2250G5547G3754G5143G3756G5143G1519G2756G3761G2872G1519G2756 17But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.G235G1499G4689G1909G2378G2532G3009G5216G4102G5463G2532G4796G5213G3956 18Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.G1161G846G2532G5463G5210G5463G2532G4796G3427 19If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along.G1161G1679G1722G2962G2424G3992G5095G5030G5213G2443G2504G2174G1097G5216G4012 20I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare.G1063G2192G3762G2473G3748G1104G3309G5216G4012 21All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.G1063G3956G2212G1438G3756G3588G2424G5547 22But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News.G1161G1097G1382G846G3754G5613G5043G3962G1398G4862G1698G1519G2098 23I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here.G3303G5126G3767G1679G3992G1824G5613G302G542G4012G1691 24And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.G1161G3982G1722G2962G3754G2064G2532G846G2064G5030 25Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need.G1161G2233G316G3992G4314G5209G1891G3450G80G2532G4904G2532G4961G1161G5216G652G2532G3011G3450G5532 26I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill.G1894G2258G1971G5209G3956G2532G85G1360G191G3754G770 27And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.G1063G2532G770G3897G2288G235G2316G1653G846G1161G3756G846G3440G235G1691G2532G3363G2192G3077G1909G3077 28So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you.G3992G846G3767G4708G2443G1492G846G3825G5463G2504G5600G253 29Welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve.G4327G846G3767G1722G2962G3326G3956G5479G2532G2192G5108G1784 30For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn't do from far away.G3754G1223G2041G5547G1448G3360G2288G3851G5590G2443G378G5216G5303G3009G4314G3165
3Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.G3063G3450G80G5463G1722G2962G1125G846G5213G1698G3303G3756G3636G1161G5213G8042Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved.G991G2965G991G2556G2040G991G26993For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,G1063G2249G2070G4061G3588G3000G2316G4151G2532G2744G1722G5547G2424G2532G3982G3756G3982G1722G45614though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!G2539G1473G2192G2532G2192G4006G1722G4561G1536G243G1380G3982G1722G4561G1473G31235I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.G4061G3637G1537G1085G2474G5443G958G1445G1537G1445G2596G3551G53306I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.G2596G2205G1377G1577G2596G1343G3588G1722G3551G1096G2737I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.G235G3748G2258G2771G3427G5023G2233G2209G1223G55478Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain ChristG235G3304G2532G2233G3956G2209G1511G1223G5242G1108G5547G2424G3450G2962G1223G3739G2210G3956G2532G2233G1511G4657G2443G2770G55479and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith.G2532G2147G1722G846G3361G2192G1699G1343G3588G1537G3551G235G3588G1223G4102G5547G1343G3588G1537G2316G1909G410210I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,G1097G846G2532G1411G846G386G2532G2842G846G3804G4833G846G228811so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!G1513G2658G1519G1815G349812I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.G3756G3754G2235G2983G2228G2235G5048G1161G1377G1499G2638G1909G3739G2532G2638G5259G5547G242413No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,G80G1473G3049G3756G1683G2638G1161G1520G1950G3303G3694G1161G1901G171514I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.G1377G2596G4649G1909G1017G507G2821G2316G1722G5547G242415Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.G5426G3767G3745G5046G5426G5124G5426G2532G1536G5426G2088G5426G2316G601G2532G5124G521316But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.G4133G1519G3739G5348G4748G846G2583G5426G84617Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.G80G1096G4831G3450G2532G4648G4043G3779G2531G2192G2248G517918For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.G1063G4183G4043G3739G3004G5213G4178G1161G3568G3004G2532G2799G2190G4716G554719They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.G3739G5056G684G3739G2316G2836G2532G1391G1722G846G152G3588G5426G191920But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.G1063G2257G4175G5225G1722G3772G1537G3739G2532G553G4990G2962G2424G554721He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.G3739G3345G2257G5014G4983G1519G846G1096G4832G846G1391G4983G2596G1753G846G1410G2532G5293G3956G1438
4Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.G5620G3450G80G27G2532G1973G3450G5479G2532G4735G3779G4739G1722G2962G27 2Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement.G3870G2136G2532G3870G4941G5426G846G5426G1722G2962 3And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.G2532G2065G4571G2532G1103G4805G4815G846G3748G4866G3427G1722G2098G3326G2815G2532G2532G3062G3450G4904G3739G3686G1722G976G2222 4Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!G5463G1722G2962G3842G3825G2046G5463 5Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.G1097G5216G1933G1097G3956G444G2962G1451 6Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.G3309G3367G235G1722G3956G4335G2532G1162G3326G2169G1107G5216G155G1107G4314G2316 7Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.G2532G1515G2316G3588G5242G3956G3563G5432G5216G2588G2532G5216G3540G1722G5547G2424 8And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.G3063G80G3745G2076G227G3745G4586G3745G1342G3745G53G3745G4375G3745G2163G1536G703G2532G1536G1868G3049G5023 9Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.G5023G3739G3129G2532G3129G2532G3880G2532G191G2532G1492G1722G1698G4238G2532G2316G1515G2071G3326G5216 10How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn't have the chance to help me.G1161G5463G1722G2962G3171G3754G2235G4218G5426G330G5228G1700G330G1909G3739G5426G2532G5426G1161G170 11Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.G3756G3004G3754G2596G5304G1063G1473G3129G1722G3739G1510G1511G842 12I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.G1161G1492G5013G2532G1492G4052G1722G3956G2532G1722G3956G3453G2532G5526G2532G3983G2532G4052G2532G5302 13For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.G2480G3956G1722G5547G3588G1743G3165 14Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.G4133G2573G4160G4790G3450G2347 15As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this.G1161G5210G5374G1492G2532G3754G1722G746G2098G3753G1831G575G3109G3762G1577G2841G3427G1519G3056G1394G2532G3028G1508G5210G3441 16Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once.G3754G2532G1722G2332G3992G2532G530G2532G1364G1519G3427G5532 17I don't say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.G3756G3754G1934G1390G235G1934G2590G4121G1519G5216G3056 18At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.G1161G568G3956G2532G4052G4137G1209G3844G1891G3844G5216G3744G2175G2378G1184G2101G2316 19And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.G1161G3450G2316G4137G3956G5216G5532G2596G846G4149G1722G1391G1722G5547G2424 20Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.G1161G2316G2532G2257G3962G1391G1519G165G165G281 21Give my greetings to each of God's holy people—all who belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you their greetings.G782G3956G40G1722G5547G2424G80G4862G1698G782G5209 22And all the rest of God's people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar's household.G3956G40G782G5209G1161G3122G1537G2541G3614 23May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.G5485G2257G2962G2424G5547G3326G5216G3956G281
Dublin, OH
and deacons.G3972
