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¹ PAUL’S LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY AT PHILIPPI Greeting from Paul and Timothy From Paul and Timothy, servantsa of Christ Jesus, to all the holy ones in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,b together with their pastorsc and deacons.d

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ!

³ Thanks for your Support! I thank my God every time I think of you.

⁴ I always pray for you all with joy every time I say my prayers.e

⁵ Because you’ve been partnersf in the good news from the first day right up to now.

⁶ And I’m convinced about one thing: that the One who started such a good work in you is going to fully complete it, right up to the day of Christ Jesus.

⁷ After all, it’s right for me to feel this way about you all. Because you’ve held me in your hearts.g While I’ve been in chains, and while I’ve been making my defense, and proving the good news,h you’ve all been my partners in grace.

⁸ Because God is my witness-I miss you all so much, with the affection of Christ Jesus!

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love will keep overflowing more and more, with deep knowledge and complete discernment.i

¹⁰ That way you will value the things that are really important, and be open-hearted, with nothing offensive in you,j ready for the day of Christ.

¹¹ You will have produced the harvest of integrityk that comes through Jesus Christ, and results in glory and praise for God.

¹² Paul’s News from Prison Now, I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what’s happened to me has actually gone towards the advancement of the good news.

¹³ It’s to the point where my imprisonment for Christl has become known throughout the palace guard, and to everybody else.

¹⁴ And most of our brothers and sisters in the Lord have been convinced by my imprisonmentm to speak God’sn word all the more fearlessly.

¹⁵ Keeping the Faith Now, some are also doing it out of envy and petty rivalry, but most are preaching Christ out of goodwill.

¹⁶ They’re doing it out of love-they know that I’m destinedo to defend the good news.

¹⁷ But the others are spreading the word about Christp out of competitiveness, not sincerely. They think they can make trouble for me while I’m in chains.

¹⁸ So what? All I care isq that for whatever reason, whether for an excuse or for real, people are spreading the word about Christ.r And I’m glad about that. And I’m going to keep on being glad.

¹⁹ Because I know that this is going to turn out for my salvation, thanks tos your prayers and the support of the Spirit of Christ Jesus.

²⁰ That’s what I’m yearning and hoping for: that I won’t be ashamed in any way, but in total openness, now as always, Christ will be glorifiedt in my body-whether through life or through death.

²¹ Because for me, living means Christ-and death is a bonus.u

²² But suppose I end up living on in the flesh. To me that just means fruitful work. Sov I don’t know what to choose.

²³ I’m torn between the two: I have the desire to leave and be with Christ, because that’s much better.

²⁴ But staying here in the flesh is more necessary because of you.

²⁵ And I’m sure of this: I am going to stay alive, and I’m going to spend time with you all, for your advancement and joy in the faith.

²⁶ That way, you’ll be able to brag all the more about Christ Jesus with me, thanks to my second visit to you.w

²⁷ Just live in a way that’s worthy of the good news of Christ. That way, whether I come and see you, or whether I hear the news about you while I’m away, you’rex standing in one spirit, in one soul, striving together for the faith of the good news.

²⁸ And you’re not frightened in any way by those who stand against you. That’s a sign to them of their destruction and your salvation, which comes from God.

²⁹ Because you’ve been given the gift not only of believing in Christ, but also of suffering for him.

³⁰ You’re facing the same struggle that you’ve seen me face, and now you’re hearing that I’m facing it.y

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¹ Imitating Christ’s Humility So if you’ve experienced some encouragement in Christ, some comfort from love, some community in the Spirit, some compassion and mercy-

² Make my joy complete by having the same attitude, holding to the same love, being together in spirit, with one common attitude.

³ Don’t do anything out of competitiveness and petty status-seeking, but humbly value one another more than yourselves.

⁴ Each person shouldn’t just be looking out for their own interests, but also for each other’s.

⁵ Think like this with each other, which is also how Christ Jesus thinks.a

⁶ Although he was in the form of God, He didn’t regard equality with God as something to run off with.

⁷ Just the opposite: he poured himself out.b He took the form of a servant, and became the same as a human being.c And being foundd in the shape of a human being,

⁸ he humbled himself, And was obedient all the way to death, even death on a cross.

⁹ Because of that, God has lifted him up high. And has given him the name that’s above every name,

¹⁰ So that at the name of Jesus Everyone is going to kneel,e

¹¹ And every voicef is going to confess That Jesus Christ is Lord,g To the glory of God the Father.

¹² So then, my dear friends! Just as you’ve always listened to meh.-not just like you did wheni I was with you, but now much more, while I’m away-let each of you be working, with fear and trembling, to achieve your own salvation.

¹³ Because God is the one who is in you, enabling you both to desire, and to achieve, what pleases God.j

¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling and arguing-

¹⁵ that way you’ll be faultless and innocent, blameless children of God in the middle of a twisted and perverse culture.k You shine in front of them like stars in the world,l

¹⁶ as you hold onto the Message of Life.m You’re going to make me proud on the day of Christ! Because I won’t have run my race and done such hard work for nothing.n

¹⁷ Preparations ahead of his Hoped for Release from Prison However, even if I get poured out on the sacrifice and offering of your faith, I am celebrating, and I’m celebrating with you all.

¹⁸ I want you to do the same: celebrate, and celebrate with me.o

¹⁹ I’m hoping in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon: I’ll feel better when I know how things are going with you.

²⁰ You know, I don’t have anybody else who feels like I do, and who’ll really care about your concerns.

²¹ Because they’re all looking out for themselves, not for the concerns of Jesus Christ.

²² But you know how tried and true Timothy is. You know he‘s been a servant of the good news alongside me-how we’ve been like father and son.

²³ So I’m hoping to send him, just as soon as I get a sense of how my case is going.

²⁴ But I’m surep in the Lord that I’m going to come to you soon myself.

²⁵ I also think I’d better send you our brother Epaphroditus,q my co-worker and fellow soldier. He’s been your representative,r and a servant to me in my time of need.

²⁶ I’m sending him because he’s been missing you all, and he’s been very upset because you’ve heard that he was ill.

²⁷ And actually he was ill-he nearly died.s But God was merciful to him-and not only him, but to me too. I was spared so much grief!t

²⁸ So I’m sending him to you that much more urgently-so you’ll get to celebrate seeing him again, and I’ll be relieved too.u

²⁹ So welcome him in the Lord with a big celebration.v Hold people like him in high esteem,

³⁰ because he nearly died doingw the work of Christ. He risked his life to fill out the rest of your service to me.x

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¹ Beware of People who Claim That you Have to be Circumcised Well,a my brothers and sisters, be happyb in the Lord. It’s no trouble for me to repeat some things,c and it’s a safeguard for you.

² Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evildoers, and watch out for those who practice mutilation.d

³ After all, we’re the circumcision.e We’re the ones worshiping with the Spirit of God.f And we’re proud of Christ Jesus, rather than putting confidence in our flesh-

⁴ even though I have a reason for confidence in my flesh.g If somebody else thinks they have a reason to be confident in flesh, I have more reason:

⁵ * Circumcised on the eighth day * From the people of Israel * From the tribe of Benjamin * A Hebrew born of Hebrew parents * In relation to the Law, a Pharisee

⁶ * In relation to zeal, a persecutor of the Christian community * In relation to the innocence that you get from the Law,h faultless

⁷ Giving Up Everything for Christ But because of Christ, I regard everything that’s to my credit as a loss.i

⁸ Absolutely:j I regard everything as a loss, because of the much greater value of knowing Christ my Lord. Because of him I’ve experienced the loss of everything. And I regard it all as garbage,k so that I can gain Christ,

⁹ and be found in him. I won’t be getting my innocencel from the Law, but through faith in Christ. It’s the innocencem that comes from God on the basis of faith.

¹⁰ It’s about knowing Christ, and the power of his resurrection, and knowing what it is to share in his sufferings. It’s about being molded into the pattern of his death,

¹¹ so I can somehow make itn to the resurrection from among the dead.

¹² It’s not that I’ve already gotten there, or already been made perfect. But I’m pursuing it, trying to take hold of it,o because I’ve been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.p

¹³ Brothers and sisters, I don’t regard myself as having gotten there.q But I do know one thing: I’m forgetting what’s behind me, and reaching out for what’s in front of me.

¹⁴ I’m pressing on towards the goal, going for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ So, those of us who are mature, let’s agree on this. And if you think differently about something, God will reveal that to you too.

¹⁶ Just let’s hold on to what we’ve already achieved.r

¹⁷ Brothers and sisters, join together in following my example. And also look to those who live according to the model you have in us.

¹⁸ After all, I’ve told you many times-and I’m crying as I’m telling you now-there are a lot of people who go around as enemies of the cross of Christ.

¹⁹ Their destination is destruction, their god is their own stomach, and what they’re the most proud of is what shames them.s Their thinking is all about the earthly stuff.

²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven. And it’s from there that we’re expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

²¹ He’s going to transform these humble bodies of ours into the same form as his glorious body. He’ll do it throught the active power that enables him to make literally everythingu obey him.

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¹ Final Greetings and Challenges Well,a my dear brothers and sisters, that I miss so much—you’re my joy and my crown.b Keep standing firm in the Lord, dear friends!

² I challenge Euodia,c and I challenge Syntyche,d to agree with each other in the Lord.

³ Yes, and I also ask you, my true partner,e to work with them. They’ve worked hard with me in spreading the good news, along with Clement and all my other co-workers. All their names are in the Book of Life.f

⁴ Be happyg in the Lord, always. I’ll say it again: be happy.h

⁵ Be known to everybody for your gentleness.i The Lord is nearly here!

⁶ Don’t worry about anything.j Instead, in all your prayers and requests, be thanking God as you tell God your requests.k

⁷ And God’s peace, that’s beyond all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever’s true, whatever’s honorable, whatever’s just, whatever’s pure, whatever’s pleasant, whatever’s commendable, or if there’s some virtue, or something that deserves praise, think about those things.

⁹ And keep putting into practice the things that you’ve learned, received, heard, and seen in me. And the God of peace will be with you.

¹⁰ Thanks for your Gift of Financial Support! I’m really pleased in the Lord that you’ve thought of me again!l Of course, you’d already been thinking of me, but you didn’t have an opportunity to show it.

¹¹ It’s not that I’m talking out of need. Because I’ve learned to be self-sufficient in my circumstances.

¹² I know how to be destitute, and I know how to have more than enough. Everywhere, and in all circumstances, I’ve learned the secret of being well fed and going hungry, of having more than enough and going without.

¹³ I have strength for all of it in the One who strengthens me.

¹⁴ Still, you’ve done well by standing with me in this trouble.

¹⁵ You also know, Philippians, that back during the first preaching of the good news, when I came over from Macedonia,m none of the Christian communities shared with me in this business of giving and receiving-except for you.

¹⁶ Because even when I was in Thessalonica,n there was a first and a second time when you sent something to me for my needs.

¹⁷ It’s not that I am after the gift-far from it. I’m after the additional credito that goes to your account.

¹⁸ Because you’ve paid me back everything, and more!p Now that I’ve received the gifts you sent with Epaphroditus,q I’m totally provided for. Your gift is a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice that’s pleasing to God.

¹⁹ And may God also fill all your needs, in line with the riches of God’s glory in Christ Jesus.

²⁰ And may God our Father get the glory forever and ever.

²¹ Say hello to all the holy ones in Christ Jesus.

²² The Christian brothers and sisters say hello to you, especially those who work in Caesar’s residence.r

²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.