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.G3972G2532G5095G1401G2424G5547G3956G40G1722G5547G2424G5607G1722G5375G4862G1985G2532G12492May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.G5485G5213G2532G1515G575G2316G2257G3962G2532G2962G2424G5547
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer
3Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.G2168G3450G2316G1909G3956G3417G52164Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,G3842G1722G3956G1162G3450G5228G5216G3956G4160G1162G3326G54795for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.G1909G5216G2842G1519G2098G575G4413G2250G891G35686And 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.G3982G5124G846G3754G1728G18G2041G1722G5213G2005G891G2250G2424G55477So 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.G2531G2076G1342G1698G5426G5124G5228G5216G3956G1223G2192G5209G1722G3165G2588G5037G1722G3450G1199G2532G627G2532G951G2098G5209G3956G5607G4791G3450G54858God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.G1063G2316G2076G3450G3144G5613G1971G5209G3956G1722G4698G2424G55479I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.G2532G5124G4336G2443G5216G26G4052G2089G3123G2532G3123G1722G1922G2532G3956G14410For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.G1519G5209G1381G1308G2443G5600G1506G2532G677G1519G2250G554711May 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
Paul’s Joy That Christ Is Preached
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.G1161G1014G5209G1097G80G3754G2596G1691G2064G3123G1519G4297G209813For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.G5620G3450G1199G1722G5547G1096G5318G1722G3650G4232G2532G3956G306214And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear.G2532G4119G80G1722G2962G3982G3450G1199G4056G5111G2980G3056G87015It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives.G5100G3303G2784G5547G2532G1223G5355G2532G2054G1161G5100G2532G1223G210716They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News.G3303G2605G5547G1537G2052G3756G55G3633G2018G2347G3450G119917Those 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.G1161G1537G26G1492G3754G2749G1519G627G209818But 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.G5101G1063G4133G3956G5158G1535G4392G1535G225G5547G2605G2532G5463G1722G5129G5463G235G2532G546319For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.G1063G1492G3754G5124G576G1519G3427G4991G1223G5216G1162G2532G2024G4151G2424G5547
Paul’s Life for Christ
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.G2596G3450G603G2532G1680G3754G1722G3762G153G235G1722G3956G3954G5613G3842G3568G2532G5547G3170G1722G3450G4983G1535G1223G2222G1535G1223G228821For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.G1063G1698G2198G5547G2532G599G277122But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better.G1161G1487G2198G1722G4561G5124G2590G2041G3427G2532G5101G138G1107G375623I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.G1063G4912G1537G1417G2192G1939G1519G360G2532G1511G4862G5547G4183G3123G290824But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.G1161G1961G1722G4561G316G1223G520925Knowing 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.G2532G5124G3982G1492G3754G3306G2532G4839G5213G3956G1519G5216G4297G2532G5479G410226And 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
Live as Citizens of Heaven
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.G3440G4176G516G2098G5547G2443G1535G2064G2532G1492G5209G1535G548G191G5216G4012G3754G4739G1722G1520G4151G3391G5590G4866G4102G209828Don'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.G2532G1722G3367G3361G4426G5259G480G3748G2076G846G3303G1732G684G1161G5213G4991G2532G5124G575G231629For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.G3754G5213G5483G5228G5547G3756G3440G4100G1519G846G235G2532G3958G5228G846G522830We 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
Ashburn, VA
and deacons.G3972
