** The Letter to the Philippians **
[Philippians 1] {1:1} Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. {1:2} Grace and peace to you, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
{1:3} I give thanks to my God, with every remembrance of you, {1:4} always, in all my prayers, making supplication for all of you with joy, {1:5} because of your communion in the Gospel of Christ, from the first day even until now.
{1:6} I am confident of this very thing: that he who has begun this good work in you will perfect it, unto the day of Christ Jesus. {1:7} So then, it is right for me to feel this way about all of you, because I hold you in my heart, and because, in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel, you all are partakers of my joy. {1:8} For God is my witness how, within the heart of Jesus Christ, I long for all of you. {1:9} And this I pray: that your charity may abound more and more, with knowledge and with all understanding, {1:10} so that you may be confirmed in what is better, in order that you may be sincere and without offense on the day of Christ: {1:11} filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, in the glory and praise of God.
{1:12} Now, brothers, I want you to know that the things concerning me happened for the advancement of the Gospel, {1:13} in such a way that my chains have become manifest in Christ in every place of judgment and in all other such places. {1:14} And many from among the brothers in the Lord, becoming confident through my chains, are now much bolder in speaking the Word of God without fear. {1:15} Certainly, some do so even because of envy and contention; and others, too, do so because of a good will to preach Christ. {1:16} Some act out of charity, knowing that I have been appointed for the defense of the Gospel. {1:17} But others, out of contention, announce Christ insincerely, claiming that their difficulties lift them up to my chains. {1:18} But what does it matter? As long as, by every means, whether under pretext or in truthfulness, Christ is announced. And about this, I rejoice, and moreover, I will continue to rejoice. {1:19} For I know that this will bring me to salvation, through your prayers and under the ministration of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
{1:20} by means of my own expectation and hope. For in nothing shall I be confounded. Instead, with all confidence, now just as always, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. {1:21} For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. {1:22} And while I live in the flesh, for me, there is the fruit of works. But I do not know which I would choose. {1:23} For I am constrained between the two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is the far better thing, {1:24} but then to remain in the flesh is necessary for your sake. {1:25} And having this confidence, I know that I shall remain and that I shall continue to remain with all of you, for your advancement and for your joy in the faith, {1:26} so that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus for me, through my return to you again. {1:27} Only let your behavior be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that, whether I return and see you, or whether, being absent, I hear about you, still you may stand firm with one spirit, with one mind, laboring together for the faith of the Gospel. {1:28} And in nothing be terrified by the adversaries. For what is to them is an occasion of perdition, is to you an occasion of salvation, and this is from God. {1:29} For this has been given to you on behalf of Christ, not only so that you may believe in him, but even so that you may suffer with him,
{1:30} engaging in the same struggle, of a kind which you also have seen in me, and which you now have heard from me.
[Philippians 2] {2:1} Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, any solace of charity, any fellowship of the Spirit, any feelings of commiseration: {2:2} complete my joy by having the same understanding, holding to the same charity, being of one mind, with the same sentiment. {2:3} Let nothing be done by contention, nor in vain glory. Instead, in humility, let each of you esteem others to be better than himself. {2:4} Let each of you not consider anything to be your own, but rather to belong to others. {2:5} For this understanding in you was also in Christ Jesus: {2:6} who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be seized. {2:7} Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and accepting the state of a man.
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