| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | New Living Translation |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 3Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6And 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. |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 7So 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. |
| 8[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 8God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 10For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11May 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. |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 13For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear. |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 15It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17Those 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. |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18But 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. |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance. |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. |
| 22[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 22But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. |
| 23[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 23I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. |
| 24[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 24But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. |
| 25[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 25Knowing 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. |
| 26[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 26And 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. |
| 27[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 28[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 28Don'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. |
| 29[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 29For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. |
| 30[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 30We 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. |
| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All Rights Reserved. |
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