3.8 KiB
Thanksgiving
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Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
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always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,
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because of your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.
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For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
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For it is only right for me to think this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are fellow partakers with me in this grace.
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For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
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And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in full knowledge and all discernment,
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so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and without fault until the day of Christ,
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having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
The Progress of the Gospel
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Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,
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so that my chains in Christ have become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,
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and that most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord because of my chains, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.
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Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will;
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the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;
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the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me affliction in my chains.
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What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,
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for I know that this will turn out for my salvation through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
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according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
To Live Is Christ
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For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
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But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know what I will choose.
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But I am hard-pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better,
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yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
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And convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
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so that your reason for boasting may abound in Christ Jesus in me, through my coming to you again.
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Only live your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about your circumstances, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind contending together for the faith of the gospel,
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in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.
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For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
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having the same struggle which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.