Read the Bible

¹ the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the christians that are at Philippi, to the bishops, and to the deacons. Grace and peace be with you from God our father, ² and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank God, for your remembrance of me,

³ and I ⁴ never pray without praying for you all with joy, for your liberality to the gospel, ⁵ from the first day to the present time. being persuaded that ⁶ he who has begun this good work in you will bring it to perfection against the appearance of Christ. it is but just

⁷ I should have this opinion of you, being sensible you make the dispensation I am under a common concern, with respect to my confinement, and the defence and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸ for God is my witness, that I love you with a christian tenderness.

⁹ and the favour I ask of him is this, that your kindness to me may be crown'd with farther improvements in knowledge and all prudence; ¹⁰ that being capable to distinguish what is best, you may remain stedfastly sincere until the day of Christ, ¹¹ abounding in good works by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

¹² Now I would have you know, my brethren, that what has happen'd to me, has only conduc'd to the progress of the gospel; ¹³ so that the whole court and publick are well appriz'd that I am a prisoner upon the account of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ even many of our brethren, encourag'd by my bonds, preach the word with greater freedom and intrepidity. ¹⁵ it is true, there are some who preach Christ out of a spirit of envy and contention; but others do it out of pure affection. ¹⁶ those preach the gospel of Christ, not in sincerity, but from a principle of contention, with a view to inflame the persecution against me: ¹⁷ the others act from affection, as knowing that I suffer for having defended the gospel. ¹⁸ is it not however some advantage? since in either way, whether it be occasionally, or professedly, Christ is preach'd; which is now, and always will be matter of joy to me. ¹⁹ for I know that this shall turn to my deliverance, thro' your prayers, by the spirit, which Jesus Christ will supply me with, ²⁰ agreeably to that expectation and persuasion I have, that I shall not labour in vain; but as I always have, so I shall still glorify Christ in my body, whether it be by life or by death: for if I live, I live to Christ;

²¹ and if I die, I gain. ²² whether it be an advantage to me or not still to lead this mortal life, what to chuse I cannot tell. ²³ I am doubly press'd between my desire to depart, in order to be with Christ, which is by far the best for ME; ²⁴ and my inclination to abide in this life, as being more advantageous for YOU: ²⁵ which consideration persuades me that I shall abide, and even continue some time with you all, to improve your advancement in the faith, and to promote your joy: ²⁶ that by my being present with you again, I may be the occasion of heightning your christian joy.

²⁷ only conduct yourselves in a manner becoming the gospel of Christ, that whether I come to see you, or else am absent, I may have this account of you, that you are stedfastly of the same resolution, and unanimously contend for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸ without being under any the least apprehension from your adversaries: this will be to them a sign of their ruin, and to you of salvation, by the divine appointment. ²⁹ for it is a favour bestowed upon you, that you not only believe on Christ, but suffer also for his sake, ³⁰ being engag'd in the same conflict, in which you saw I was formerly, and hear that I am at present engag'd.