Philippi. Every time I think of you, I thank God. Every time I pray for you, I pray with joy, because you’ve been partners with me in the good news from the first day until now. And I’m sure of this: the one who started a good work in you will finish it.
PHILIPPIANS 1:3–6 · BSB
I thank my God every time I remember you. In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
What’s happened to me has actually helped the good news. The whole palace guard knows I’m in chains because of Christ. And most of the believers here have got braver because of it. They’re speaking out without fear.
PHILIPPIANS 1:12–14 · BSB
Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And most of the brothers, confident in the Lord by my chains, now dare more greatly to speak the word without fear.
Some are preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry, hoping to make my time in chains harder. Others do it out of love. So what? Either way, Christ is being preached. And that makes me glad.
PHILIPPIANS 1:15–18 · BSB
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. The former, however, preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can add to the distress of my chains. What then is the issue? Just this: that in every way, whether by false motives or true, Christ is preached. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
For me, living is Christ and dying is gain. I’m torn. I’d love to go and be with Christ, which is far better. But it’s more necessary for you that I stay.
PHILIPPIANS 1:21–24 · BSB
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know. I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed. But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
I’m sure of it. I’m staying, and I’ll be with you again.
PHILIPPIANS 1:25–26 · BSB
Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my coming to you again your exultation in Christ Jesus will resound on account of me.
Don’t do anything out of selfish ambition or to make yourself look good. Be humble, and think of others as more important than you. Look out for each other’s interests, not just your own.
PHILIPPIANS 2:3–4 · BSB
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Think the way Christ Jesus did.
He was God by nature, and didn’t cling to being equal with God. He emptied himself, took the nature of a servant, and became a human being. He humbled himself and obeyed all the way to death. Death on a cross.
So God raised him to the highest place and gave him the name above every name. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will say that Jesus Christ is Lord.
PHILIPPIANS 2:5–11 · BSB
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing. Then you’ll shine like stars in the world.
PHILIPPIANS 2:14–15 · BSB
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
Hoping to send Timothy to you soon. I’ve got nobody else like him. He genuinely cares how you are. Everyone else looks after their own interests. You know what he’s like: he’s worked with me for the good news like a son with his dad.
PHILIPPIANS 2:19–22 · BSB
Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing. I have nobody else like him who will genuinely care for your needs. For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, that as a child with his father he has served with me to advance the gospel.
I know you heard I was ill, and I’ve been upset that you were worried. I was ill. I nearly died. But God had mercy on me. Paul’s sending me home.
PHILIPPIANS 2:26–28 · BSB
For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less anxious.
Welcome him home with real joy, and honour people like him. He nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to do for me what you couldn’t do from there.
PHILIPPIANS 2:29–30 · BSB
Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for your deficit of service to me.
Watch out for those dogs. The troublemakers who want to cut your flesh. If anyone thinks they’ve got reasons to be confident in their own credentials, I’ve got more:
1. Circumcised at eight days old.
2. Israelite.
3. Tribe of Benjamin.
4. Hebrew, son of Hebrews.
5. On the law: a Pharisee.
6. On how keen I was: I persecuted the church.
7. On keeping the law: faultless.
PHILIPPIANS 3:2; PHILIPPIANS 3:4–6 · BSB
Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh! though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.
But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Not that I’ve arrived. But one thing I do: forgetting what’s behind and straining towards what’s ahead, I keep running for the finish line, for the prize God is calling me up to in Christ Jesus.
PHILIPPIANS 3:12–14 · BSB
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.
I’ve told you often, and I’m telling you again in tears: plenty of people live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their stomach is their god. But our citizenship is in heaven, and we’re waiting for a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
PHILIPPIANS 3:18–20 · BSB
For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Euodia and Syntyche: please, I’m begging you both, agree with each other in the Lord. And you, my true partner there, help these women. They fought side by side with me for the good news.
PHILIPPIANS 4:2–3 · BSB
I urge Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true yokefellow, to help these women who have contended at my side for the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
Don’t worry about anything. Pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him. And God’s peace, which is beyond anything we can understand, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6–7 · BSB
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable. If anything is excellent or worth praising, think about those things.
PHILIPPIANS 4:8 · BSB
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
I’ve learned to be content whatever’s going on. I know what it’s like to have next to nothing, and what it’s like to have plenty. Full or hungry, more than enough or not enough, I’ve learned the secret. I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
PHILIPPIANS 4:11–13 · BSB
I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
You Philippians know: in the early days, when I left Macedonia, you were the only church that went into partnership with me on giving. Even in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. And now I’ve got everything from Epaphroditus. More than I need.
PHILIPPIANS 4:15–16; PHILIPPIANS 4:18 · BSB
And as you Philippians know, in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church but you partnered with me in the matter of giving and receiving. For even while I was in Thessalonica, you provided for my needs again and again. I have all I need and more, now that I have received your gifts from Epaphroditus. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
I have all I need and more, now that I have received your gifts from Epaphroditus. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.