Greetings from Paul and Timothy
(Colossians 1:1–2; Philemon 1:1–3)

1PAUL and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2grace be unto you and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer
(1 Corinthians 1:4–9; Colossians 1:3–14)

3I give thanks to my God on every remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy, 5for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day even until now; 6being confident of this very thing, that he who hath wrought in you the good work will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I bear you on my heart, both in my bonds and in my defence and the confirmation of the gospel, as being all of you sharers in my grace. 8For God is my witness, how earnestly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. 9And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all understanding; 10that ye may prove the things that are excellent, in order that ye may be sincere and without offence unto the day of Christ; 11filled with fruits of righteousness, which by Jesus Christ are to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Trials Advance the Gospel
(James 1:2–12)

12Now I wish you, brethren, to know, that the things which have befallen me have rather conduced to the progress of the gospel; 13so that my bonds are manifest in Christ through the whole palace, and all other places; 14and very many of our brethren in the Lord, assuming confidence from my chains, are more abundantly bold, fearlessly to preach the word. 15Some indeed do it in a spirit of envy and strife; but some also preach Christ with cordial good-will: 16the one indeed preach Christ out of contention, not with purity of intention, thinking to add affliction to my bonds: 17but the others of love, knowing that I am exposed for the defence of the gospel. 18What then? if Christ is preached in whatever manner it be, whether in pretext or reality, even in this do I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. 19For I know that this shall issue in my salvation through your prayers, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20according to my firm expectation and hope, that I shall be confounded by no event, but that with all boldness, as always hitherto, Christ shall now also be magnified in my body, whether by my life or death.

To Live Is Christ

21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22But if it be his will, that I should live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my travail: and what to chuse I know not. 23For I am in a strait between the two, having an earnest longing to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, for this is far, far better: 24but to abide in the flesh may be more necessary for you. 25And being so persuaded, I know that I shall stay and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith; 26that your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus for me by my coming again unto you.

Worthy of the Gospel

27Only conduct yourselves worthily as becometh the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul wrestling together in the faith of the gospel; 28and not dismayed on any occasion by your adversaries; which is indeed the proof of perdition to them, but of salvation to you, and that from God. 29For this favour on the part of Christ is granted you, not only that ye should believe on him, but also that ye should suffer for his sake; 30experiencing the same conflict which ye have seen in me, and now hear to be in me.