Read the Bible

Thanksgiving

^1 (C1)Paul and ^(C2)Timothy, ^(C3)bond-servants of ^(C4)Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), To ^(C5)all the ^(C6)saints (God's people) in Christ Jesus who are at ^(C7)Philippi, including the ^(C8)overseers and ^(C9)deacons:^2 (C1)Grace to you and peace inner calm and spiritual well-being from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^3 (C1)I thank my God in every remembrance of you,⁴ always offering ^(C1)every prayer of mine with joy and with specific requests for all of you,⁵ thanking God for your ^(C1)participation and partnership both your comforting fellowship and gracious contributions in advancing the ^(C2)good news regarding salvation ^(C3)from the first day you heard it until now.⁶ I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will continue to perfect and complete it until ^(C1)the day of Christ Jesus the time of His return. ^(VR1)7 (C1)It is right for me to feel this way about you, because you have me in your heart as I ^(C2)have you in my heart, since both in my ^(C3)imprisonment and in the ^(C4)defense and confirmation of the ^(C5)good news regarding salvation, all of you share in His matchless grace with me.⁸ For ^(C1)God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of ^(C2)Christ Jesus whose great love fills me.⁹ And this I pray, that ^(C1)your love may abound more and more displaying itself in greater depth in ^(C2)real knowledge and in practical insight,¹⁰ so that you may ^(C1)learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences, and that you may be pure and blameless until ^(C2)the day of Christ actually living lives that lead others away from sin;¹¹ filled with the ^(C1)fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God so that His glory may be both revealed and recognized.

The Gospel Is Preached

¹² Now I want you to know, ^(F1)believers, that what has happened to me this imprisonment that was meant to stop me ^(C1)has actually served to advance the spread of the ^(C2)good news regarding salvation.¹³ My ^(C1)imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become common knowledge throughout the whole ^(F1)praetorian (imperial) guard and to ^(C2)everyone else.¹⁴ Because of my ^(C1)chains seeing that I am doing well and that God is accomplishing great things, most of the ^(F1)brothers have renewed confidence in the Lord, and have ^(C2)far more courage to speak the word of God concerning salvation without fear of the consequences, seeing that God can work His good in all circumstances.^15 (C1)Some, it is true, are actually preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry toward me—for no better reason than a competitive spirit or misguided ambition, but others out of goodwill and a loyal spirit toward me.¹⁶ The latter preach Christ out of love, because they know that I have been put here by God on purpose for the defense of the ^(C1)gospel;¹⁷ but the former preach Christ insincerely ^(C1)out of selfish ambition just self-promotion, thinking that they are causing me distress in my ^(C2)imprisonment.

¹⁸ What then does it matter? So long as in every way, whether in pretense for self-promotion or in all honesty to spread the truth, Christ is being preached; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice later as well,¹⁹ for I know with confidence that this will turn out for my deliverance and spiritual well-being, ^(C1)through your prayers and the superabundant supply of ^(C2)the Spirit of Jesus Christ which upholds me.²⁰ It is my own ^(C1)eager expectation and ^(C2)hope, that looking toward the future I will not disgrace myself nor be ashamed in anything, but that with ^(C3)courage and the utmost freedom of speech, even now as always, Christ will be ^(C4)magnified and exalted in my body, ^(C5)whether by life or by death.

To Live Is Christ

²⁷ Only be sure to lead your lives in a manner that will be ^(C1)worthy of the ^(C2)gospel of Christ, so that whether I do come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are ^(C3)standing firm in ^(C4)one spirit and one purpose, with one ^(F1)mind ^(C5)striving side by side as if in combat for the faith of the gospel.²⁸ And in no way be alarmed or intimidated in anything by your opponents, for such constancy and fearlessness on your part is a clear ^(C1)sign a proof and a seal for them of their impending destruction, but a clear sign for you of deliverance and salvation, and that too, from God.²⁹ For you ^(C1)have been granted the privilege for Christ's sake, not only to believe and confidently trust in Him, but also to ^(C2)suffer for His sake,³⁰ and so you are experiencing the same kind of ^(C1)conflict which ^(F1)(C2)you saw me endure, and which you hear to be mine now.