Philippians 1
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Philippians chapter 1 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
4 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.
Philippians 1
1Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, together with the overseers and ministers:Παῦλος καὶ Τιμόθεος, δοῦλοι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, πᾶσι τοῖς ἁγίοις ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν Φιλίπποις, σὺν ἐπισκόποις καὶ διακόνοις·
2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
3I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ Θεῷ μου ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ μνείᾳ ὑμῶν,
4always in every prayer of mine on behalf of you all, with joy,πάντοτε ἐν πάσῃ δεήσει μου ὑπὲρ πάντων ὑμῶν μετὰ χαρᾶς τὴν δέησιν ποιούμενος,
5for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,ἐπὶ τῇ κοινωνίᾳ ὑμῶν εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, ἀπὸ πρώτης ἡμέρας ἄχρι τοῦ νῦν·
6having been persuaded of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus;πεποιθὼς αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ὅτι ὁ ἐναρξάμενος ἐν ὑμῖν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐπιτελέσει ἄχρις ἡμέρας Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ·
7just as it is right for me to think this concerning you all, because I have you in my heart, both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.καθώς ἐστι δίκαιον ἐμοὶ τοῦτο φρονεῖν ὑπὲρ πάντων ὑμῶν, διὰ τὸ ἔχειν με ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμᾶς, ἔν τε τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀπολογίᾳ καὶ βεβαιώσει τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, συγκοινωνούς μου τῆς χάριτος πάντας ὑμᾶς ὄντας.
8For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.Μάρτυς γάρ μού ἐστιν ὁ Θεός, ὡς ἐπιποθῶ πάντας ὑμᾶς ἐν σπλάγχνοις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
9And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment,Καὶ τοῦτο προσεύχομαι, ἵνα ἡ ἀγάπη ὑμῶν ἔτι μᾶλλον καὶ μᾶλλον περισσεύῃ ἐν ἐπιγνώσει καὶ πάσῃ αἰσθήσει,
10that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order that you may be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ,εἰς τὸ δοκιμάζειν ὑμᾶς τὰ διαφέροντα, ἵνα ἦτε εἰλικρινεῖς καὶ ἀπρόσκοποι εἰς ἡμέραν Χριστοῦ,
11having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.πεπληρωμένοι καρπῶν δικαιοσύνης τῶν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, εἰς δόξαν καὶ ἔπαινον Θεοῦ.
12But I want you to know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have come about for the advancement of the gospel,Γινώσκειν δὲ ὑμᾶς βούλομαι, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι τὰ κατ᾽ ἐμὲ μᾶλλον εἰς προκοπὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐλήλυθεν·
13so that it has become evident to the whole praetorian guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;ὥστε τοὺς δεσμούς μου φανεροὺς ἐν Χριστῷ γενέσθαι ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ πραιτωρίῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς πᾶσι,
14and most of the brothers in the Lord, having been persuaded by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word fearlessly.καὶ τοὺς πλείονας τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐν Κυρίῳ, πεποιθότας τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου, περισσοτέρως τολμᾶν ἀφόβως τὸν λόγον λαλεῖν.
15Some indeed are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but others from good will:Τινὲς μὲν καὶ διὰ φθόνον καὶ ἔριν, τινὲς δὲ καὶ δι᾽ εὐδοκίαν τὸν Χριστὸν κηρύσσουσιν·
16The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;οἱ μὲν ἐξ ἐριθείας τὸν Χριστὸν καταγγέλλουσιν, οὐχ ἁγνῶς, οἰόμενοι θλῖψιν ἐπιφέρειν τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου·
17but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.οἱ δὲ ἐξ ἀγάπης, εἰδότες ὅτι εἰς ἀπολογίαν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου κεῖμαι.
18What 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.Τί γάρ; Πλὴν παντὶ τρόπῳ, εἴτε προφάσει εἴτε ἀληθείᾳ, Χριστὸς καταγγέλλεται· καὶ ἐν τούτῳ χαίρω, ἀλλὰ καὶ χαρήσομαι.
19For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,Οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι τοῦτό μοι ἀποβήσεται εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ τῆς ὑμῶν δεήσεως, καὶ ἐπιχορηγίας τοῦ Πνεύματος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,
20according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I will be ashamed, but with utmost boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.κατὰ τὴν ἀποκαραδοκίαν καὶ ἐλπίδα μου, ὅτι ἐν οὐδενὶ αἰσχυνθήσομαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πάσῃ παρρησίᾳ, ὡς πάντοτε, καὶ νῦν μεγαλυνθήσεται Χριστὸς ἐν τῷ σώματί μου, εἴτε διὰ ζωῆς εἴτε διὰ θανάτου.
21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.Ἐμοὶ γὰρ τὸ ζῆν, Χριστός· καὶ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν, κέρδος.
22But if I am to live on in the flesh, this to me will mean fruit from my labor; and what I shall choose I do not know.Εἰ δὲ τὸ ζῆν ἐν σαρκί, τοῦτό μοι καρπὸς ἔργου· καὶ τί αἱρήσομαι οὐ γνωρίζω.
23For I am hard pressed by the two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.Συνέχομαι δὲ ἐκ τῶν δύο, τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχων εἰς τὸ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον κρεῖσσον·
24But to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.τὸ δὲ ἐπιμένειν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ ἀναγκαιότερον δι᾽ ὑμᾶς.
25And convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,Καὶ τοῦτο πεποιθὼς οἶδα ὅτι μενῶ, καὶ συμπαραμενῶ πᾶσιν ὑμῖν εἰς τὴν ὑμῶν προκοπὴν καὶ χαρὰν τῆς πίστεως,
26that your boasting may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my coming again to you.ἵνα τὸ καύχημα ὑμῶν περισσεύῃ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐν ἐμοί, διὰ τῆς ἐμῆς παρουσίας πάλιν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
27Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,Μόνον ἀξίως τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τοῦ Χριστοῦ πολιτεύεσθε, ἵνα εἴτε ἐλθὼν καὶ ἰδὼν ὑμᾶς, εἴτε ἀπών, ἀκούσω τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν, ὅτι στήκετε ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι, μιᾷ ψυχῇ συναθλοῦντες τῇ πίστει τοῦ εὐαγγελίου,
28and not being terrified in anything by your enemies, which is to them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and this from God.καὶ μὴ πτυρόμενοι ἐν μηδενὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀντικειμένων· ἥτις αὐτοῖς μέν ἐστιν ἔνδειξις ἀπωλείας, ὑμῖν δὲ σωτηρίας, καὶ τοῦτο ἀπὸ Θεοῦ·
29For to you it has been granted for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,ὅτι ὑμῖν ἐχαρίσθη τὸ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, οὐ μόνον τὸ εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πάσχειν·
30experiencing the same struggle which you saw in me and now you hear is in me.τὸν αὐτὸν ἀγῶνα ἔχοντες οἷον εἴδετε ἐν ἐμοί, καὶ νῦν ἀκούετε ἐν ἐμοί.
The Fathers on Philippians 1
Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Philippians 1:1–2Saint John Chrysostom“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, fellow-Bishops[516] and Deacons: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Philippians →
On Philippians 1:8–11Saint John Chrysostom“For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the tender mercies of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offense unto the day of Christ; being filled wit...
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Philippians →
On Philippians 1:18–20Saint John Chrysostom“And therein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your supplication, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 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 shal...
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Philippians →
On Philippians 1:22–26Open Philippians 1 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint John Chrysostom“Then what I shall choose I wot not. But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; which is very far better: yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, yea and abide with you all, for your progress and joy in...
Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Philippians →