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.G3972G2532G5095G1401G2424G5547G3956G40G1722G5547G2424G5607G1722G5375G4862G1985G2532G12492May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.G5485G5213G2532G1515G575G2316G2257G3962G2532G2962G2424G5547
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer
3Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.G2168G3450G2316G1909G3956G3417G52164Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,G3842G1722G3956G1162G3450G5228G5216G3956G4160G1162G3326G54795for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.G1909G5216G2842G1519G2098G575G4413G2250G891G35686And 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.G3982G5124G846G3754G1728G18G2041G1722G5213G2005G891G2250G2424G55477So 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.G2531G2076G1342G1698G5426G5124G5228G5216G3956G1223G2192G5209G1722G3165G2588G5037G1722G3450G1199G2532G627G2532G951G2098G5209G3956G5607G4791G3450G54858God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.G1063G2316G2076G3450G3144G5613G1971G5209G3956G1722G4698G2424G55479I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.G2532G5124G4336G2443G5216G26G4052G2089G3123G2532G3123G1722G1922G2532G3956G14410For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.G1519G5209G1381G1308G2443G5600G1506G2532G677G1519G2250G554711May 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.G4137G2590G1343G3588G1223G2424G5547G1519G1391G2532G1868G2316
Paul’s Joy That Christ Is Preached
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.G1161G1014G5209G1097G80G3754G2596G1691G2064G3123G1519G4297G209813For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.G5620G3450G1199G1722G5547G1096G5318G1722G3650G4232G2532G3956G306214And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear.G2532G4119G80G1722G2962G3982G3450G1199G4056G5111G2980G3056G87015It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives.G5100G3303G2784G5547G2532G1223G5355G2532G2054G1161G5100G2532G1223G210716They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News.G3303G2605G5547G1537G2052G3756G55G3633G2018G2347G3450G119917Those 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.G1161G1537G26G1492G3754G2749G1519G627G209818But 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.G5101G1063G4133G3956G5158G1535G4392G1535G225G5547G2605G2532G5463G1722G5129G5463G235G2532G546319For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.G1063G1492G3754G5124G576G1519G3427G4991G1223G5216G1162G2532G2024G4151G2424G5547
Paul’s Life for Christ
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.G2596G3450G603G2532G1680G3754G1722G3762G153G235G1722G3956G3954G5613G3842G3568G2532G5547G3170G1722G3450G4983G1535G1223G2222G1535G1223G228821For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.G1063G1698G2198G5547G2532G599G277122But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better.G1161G1487G2198G1722G4561G5124G2590G2041G3427G2532G5101G138G1107G375623I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.G1063G4912G1537G1417G2192G1939G1519G360G2532G1511G4862G5547G4183G3123G290824But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.G1161G1961G1722G4561G316G1223G520925Knowing 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.G2532G5124G3982G1492G3754G3306G2532G4839G5213G3956G1519G5216G4297G2532G5479G410226And 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.G2443G5216G2745G4052G1722G2424G5547G1722G1698G1223G1699G3952G4314G5209G3825
Live as Citizens of Heaven
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.G3440G4176G516G2098G5547G2443G1535G2064G2532G1492G5209G1535G548G191G5216G4012G3754G4739G1722G1520G4151G3391G5590G4866G4102G209828Don'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.G2532G1722G3367G3361G4426G5259G480G3748G2076G846G3303G1732G684G1161G5213G4991G2532G5124G575G231629For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.G3754G5213G5483G5228G5547G3756G3440G4100G1519G846G235G2532G3958G5228G846G522830We 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.G2192G846G73G3634G1492G1492G1722G1698G2532G3568G191G1722G1698
Philippians 2
Have the Attitude of Christ
2Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?G3767G1536G3874G1722G5547G1536G3890G26G1536G2842G4151G1536G4698G2532G36282Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.G4137G3450G5479G2443G846G5426G2192G846G26G4861G1520G54263Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.G3367G2596G2052G2228G2754G235G5012G2233G240G2233G240G5242G14384Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.G4648G3361G1538G1438G235G1538G2532G3588G20875You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.G1063G5426G5124G5426G1722G5213G3739G2532G1722G5547G24246Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.G3739G5225G1722G3444G2316G2233G3756G725G1511G2470G23167Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,G235G2758G1438G2758G2983G3444G1401G1096G1722G3667G4448he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.G2532G2147G4976G5613G444G5013G1438G1096G5255G3360G2288G1161G2288G47169Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,G1352G2316G2532G5251G846G2532G5483G846G3686G3588G5228G3956G368610that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,G2443G1722G3686G2424G3956G1119G2578G2032G2532G1919G2532G270911and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.G2532G3956G1100G1843G3754G2424G5547G2962G1519G1391G2316G3962
Shine Brightly for Christ
12Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.G5620G3450G27G2531G5219G3842G5219G3361G5613G1722G3450G3952G3440G235G3568G4183G3123G1722G3450G666G2716G1438G4991G3326G5401G2532G515613For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.G1063G2076G2316G3588G1754G1722G5213G2532G2309G2532G1754G5228G210714Do everything without complaining and arguing,G4160G3956G5565G1112G2532G126115so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.G2443G1096G273G2532G185G5043G2316G298G1722G3319G4646G2532G1294G1074G1722G3739G5316G5613G5458G1722G288916Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.G1907G3056G2222G1519G1698G2745G1519G2250G5547G3754G5143G3756G5143G1519G2756G3761G2872G1519G275617But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.G235G1499G4689G1909G2378G2532G3009G5216G4102G5463G2532G4796G5213G395618Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.G1161G846G2532G5463G5210G5463G2532G4796G3427
Paul Commends Timothy
19If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along.G1161G1679G1722G2962G2424G3992G5095G5030G5213G2443G2504G2174G1097G5216G401220I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare.G1063G2192G3762G2473G3748G1104G3309G5216G401221All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.G1063G3956G2212G1438G3756G3588G2424G554722But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News.G1161G1097G1382G846G3754G5613G5043G3962G1398G4862G1698G1519G209823I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here.G3303G5126G3767G1679G3992G1824G5613G302G542G4012G169124And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.G1161G3982G1722G2962G3754G2064G2532G846G2064G5030
Paul Commends Epaphroditus
25Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need.G1161G2233G316G3992G4314G5209G1891G3450G80G2532G4904G2532G4961G1161G5216G652G2532G3011G3450G553226I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill.G1894G2258G1971G5209G3956G2532G85G1360G191G3754G77027And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.G1063G2532G770G3897G2288G235G2316G1653G846G1161G3756G846G3440G235G1691G2532G3363G2192G3077G1909G307728So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you.G3992G846G3767G4708G2443G1492G846G3825G5463G2504G5600G25329Welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve.G4327G846G3767G1722G2962G3326G3956G5479G2532G2192G5108G178430For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn't do from far away.G3754G1223G2041G5547G1448G3360G2288G3851G5590G2443G378G5216G5303G3009G4314G3165
Psalms 11
11[For the choir director: A psalm of David.] I trust in the LORD for protection. So why do you say to me, "Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!H5329H1732H3068H2620H559H5315H5110H6833H20222The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right.H7563H1869H7198H3559H2671H3499H652H1119H3384H3477H38203The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?"H8356H2040H6662H64664But the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth.H3068H6944H1964H3068H3678H8064H5869H2372H6079H974H1121H1205The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence.H3068H974H6662H7563H157H2555H5315H81306He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds.H7563H4305H6341H784H1614H2152H7307H4521H35637For the righteous LORD loves justice. The virtuous will see his face.H6662H3068H157H6666H6440H2372H3477
Dublin, OH
and deacons.G3972
