Study Desk

^(C1)Paul and ^(C2)Timothy, ^(C3)bond-servants of ^(C4)Christ Jesus, To ^(C5)all the ^(F1)(C6)saints in Christ Jesus who are in ^(C7)Philippi, ^(F2)including the ^(C8)overseers and ^(C9)deacons:

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^(C1)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^(C1)I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

always offering prayer with joy in ^(C1)my every prayer for you all,

in view of your ^(F1)(C1)participation in the ^(C2)gospel ^(C3)from the first day until now.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work ^(F1)among you will complete it ^(F2)by ^(C1)the day of Christ Jesus.

^(F1)For ^(C1)it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I ^(C2)have you in my heart, since both in my ^(F2)(C3)imprisonment and in the ^(C4)defense and confirmation of the ^(C5)gospel, you all are ^(F3)partakers of grace with me.

For ^(C1)God is my witness, how I long for you all with the ^(F1)affection of ^(C2)Christ Jesus.

And this I pray, that ^(C1)your love may overflow still more and more in ^(C2)real knowledge and all discernment,

so that you may ^(F1)(C1)discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for ^(C2)the day of Christ;

having been filled with the ^(C1)fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances ^(C1)have turned out for the greater progress of the ^(C2)gospel,

so that my ^(F1)(C1)imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the ^(F2)praetorian guard and to ^(C2)everyone else,

and that most of the brothers and sisters, ^(F1)trusting in the Lord because of my ^(F2)(C1)imprisonment, have ^(C2)far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

^(C1)Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even ^(F1)from envy and strife, but some also ^(F1)from goodwill;

the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the ^(C1)gospel;

the former proclaim Christ ^(C1)out of selfish ambition ^(F1)rather than from pure motives, thinking that they are causing me distress in my ^(F2)(C2)imprisonment.

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. But not only that, I also will rejoice,

for I know that this will turn out for my ^(F1)deliverance ^(C1)through your ^(F2)prayers and the provision of ^(C2)the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

according to my ^(C1)eager expectation and ^(C2)hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with ^(C3)all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be ^(C4)exalted in my body, ^(C5)whether by life or by death.

For to me, ^(C1)to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

^(F1)But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean ^(C1)fruitful labor for me; and I do not know ^(F2)which to choose.

But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the ^(C1)desire to depart and ^(C2)be with Christ, for that is very much better;

yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes.

^(C1)Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy ^(F1)in the faith,

so that your ^(C1)pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again.

Only conduct yourselves in a manner ^(C1)worthy of the ^(C2)gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are ^(C3)standing firm in ^(C4)one spirit, with one ^(F1)mind ^(C5)striving together for the faith of the gospel;

and in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a ^(C1)sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and this too, from God.

For to you ^(C1)it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to ^(C2)suffer on His behalf,

experiencing the same ^(C1)conflict which ^(C2)you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.