1Gk. bondservants
2Or, overseers
1: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1: 3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you,
1: 4 always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy,
1: 5 for your 3fellowship in furtherance of the 4gospel from the first day until now;
3Or, communion and in ch. 2:1, 3:10.
4Gk. Good tidings and so everywhere. See marginal note on Mt 4:23.
1: 6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:
1: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because 5I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers with me of grace.
5Or, ye have me in your heart,
1: 8 For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.
1: 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;
1: 10 so that ye may 6approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ;
6Or, distinguish the things that differ;
1: 11 being filled with the fruit of righteousness, which is through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
1: 12 Now I would have you know, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the gospel;
1: 13 so that my bonds became manifest in Christ 7throughout the whole praetorian guard, and to all the rest;
7Gk. in the whole Praetorium,
1: 14 and that most of the brethren in the Lord, 8being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word 9of God without fear.
8Gk. trusting in my bonds,
9So ÀBA 33 81 and nearly all versions. But p46 1739 and a majority of lesser Gk. mss. omit of God
1: 15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
1: 16 10the one do it of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel;
10Or, they that are moved by love do it, knowing etc.
1: 17 11but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds.
11Or, they that are factious proclaim Christ, not etc.
1: 18 What then? only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and therein I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
1: 19 For I know that this shall turn out to my salvation, through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
1: 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also 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 12But if to live in the flesh, - if 13this shall bring fruit from my work, then 14what I shall choose I know not.
12Or, But if to live in the flesh be my lot, this is the fruit of my work: and what I shall choose I know not.
13Gk. this is for me fruit of work,
14Or, what shall I choose?
1: 23 But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better:
1: 24 yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake.
1: 25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, yes, and abide with you all, for your progress and joy 15in the faith;
15Or, of faith;
1: 26 that your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.
1: 27 Only 16let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving 17for the faith of the gospel;
16Gk. behave worthily as citizens of the gospel Compare ch. 3:20.
17Gk. with
1: 28 and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God;
1: 29 because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf:
1: 30 having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
