Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus that are at Philippi, with their pastors and deacons;

Paulus et Timotheus, servi Jesu Christi, omnibus sanctis in Christo Jesu, qui sunt Philippis, cum episcopis et diaconibus.

Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ; to all the saints in Christ Jesus, who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.

Grace and peace be yours from God who is our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gratia vobis, et pax a Deo Patre nostro, et Domino Jesu Christo.

Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God for all my memories of you,

Gratias ago Deo meo in omni memoria vestri,

I give thanks to my God in every remembrance of you,

happy at all times in all the prayer I offer for all of you;

semper in cunctis orationibus meis pro omnibus vobis, cum gaudio deprecationem faciens,

Always in all my prayers making supplication for you all, with joy;

so full a part have you taken in the work of Christ’s gospel, from the day when it first reached you till now.

super communicatione vestra in Evangelio Christi a prima die usque nunc.

For your communication in the gospel of Christ from the first day unto now.

Nor am I less confident, that he who has inspired this generosity in you will bring it to perfection, ready for the day when Jesus Christ comes.

Confidens hoc ipsum, quia qui cœpit in vobis opus bonum, perficiet usque in diem Christi Jesu:

Being confident of this very thing, that he, who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus.

It is only fitting that I should entertain such hopes for you; you are close to my heart, and I know that you all share my happiness in being a prisoner, and being able to defend and assert the truth of the gospel.

sicut est mihi justum hoc sentire pro omnibus vobis: eo quod habeam vos in corde, et in vinculis meis, et in defensione, et confirmatione Evangelii, socios gaudii mei omnes vos esse.

As it is meet for me to think this for you all, for that I have you in my heart; and that in my bands, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of my joy.

God knows how I long for you all, with the tenderness of Jesus Christ himself.

Testis enim mihi est Deus, quomodo cupiam omnes vos in visceribus Jesu Christi.

For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

And this is my prayer for you; may your love grow richer and richer yet, in the fulness of its knowledge and the depth of its perception,

Et hoc oro, ut caritas vestra magis ac magis abundet in scientia, et in omni sensu:

And this I pray, that your charity may more and more abound in knowledge, and in all understanding:

so that you may learn to prize what is of value; may nothing cloud your consciences or hinder your progress till the day when Christ comes;

ut probetis potiora, ut sitis sinceri, et sine offensa in diem Christi,

That you may approve the better things, that you may be sincere and without offence unto the day of Christ,

may you reap, through Jesus Christ, the full harvest of your justification to God’s glory and praise.

repleti fructu justitiæ per Jesum Christum, in gloriam et laudem Dei.

Filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

I hasten to assure you, brethren, that my circumstances here have only had the effect of spreading the gospel further;

Scire autem vos volo fratres, quia quæ circa me sunt, magis ad profectum venerunt Evangelii:

Now, brethren, I desire you should know, that the things which have happened to me, have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel:

so widely has my imprisonment become known, in Christ’s honour, throughout the praetorium and to all the world beyond.

ita ut vincula mea manifesta fierent in Christo in omni prætorio, et in ceteris omnibus,

So that my bands are made manifest in Christ, in all the court, and in all other places:

And most of the brethren, deriving fresh confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment, are making bold to preach God’s word with more freedom than ever.

et plures e fratribus in Domino confidentes vinculis meis, abundantius auderent sine timore verbum Dei loqui.

And many of the brethren in the Lord, growing confident by my bands, are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear.

Some of them, it is true, for no better reason than rivalry or jealousy; but there are others who really proclaim Christ out of good will.

Quidam quidem et propter invidiam et contentionem: quidam autem et propter bonam voluntatem Christum prædicant:

Some indeed, even out of envy and contention; but some also for good will preach Christ.

Some, I mean, are moved by charity, because they recognize that I am here to defend the gospel,

quidam ex caritate, scientes quoniam in defensionem Evangelii positus sum.

Some out of charity, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

others by party spirit, proclaiming Christ from wrong motives, just because they hope to make my chains gall me worse.

Quidam autem ex contentione Christum annuntiant non sincere, existimantes pressuram se suscitare vinculis meis.

And some out of contention preach Christ not sincerely: supposing that they raise affliction to my bands.

What matter, so long as either way, for private ends or in all honesty, Christ is proclaimed? Of that I am glad now; yes, and I shall be glad hereafter;

Quid enim? Dum omni modo sive per occasionem, sive per veritatem, Christus annuntietur: et in hoc gaudeo, sed et gaudebo.

But what then? So that by all means, whether by occasion, or by truth, Christ be preached: in this also I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

I am well assured that this will make for my soul’s health, with you to pray for me, and Jesus Christ to supply my needs with his Spirit.

Scio enim quia hoc mihi proveniet ad salutem, per vestram orationem, et subministrationem Spiritus Jesu Christi,

For I know that this shall fall out to me unto salvation, through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

This is my earnest longing and my hope, that I shall never be put to the blush; that I shall speak with entire freedom, and so this body of mine will do Christ honour, now as always, in life or in death.

secundum exspectationem et spem meam, quia in nullo confundar: sed in omni fiducia sicut semper, et nunc magnificabitur Christus in corpore meo, sive per vitam, sive per mortem.

According to my expectation and hope; that in nothing I shall be confounded, but with all confidence, as always, so now also shall Christ be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

For me, life means Christ; death is a prize to be won.

Mihi enim vivere Christus est, et mori lucrum.

For to me, to live is Christ: and to die is gain.

But what if living on in this mortal body is the only way to harvest what I have sown? Thus I cannot tell what to choose;

Quod si vivere in carne, hic mihi fructus operis est, et quid eligam ignoro.

And if to live in the flesh, this is to me the fruit of labour, and what I shall choose I know not.

I am hemmed in on both sides. I long to have done with it, and be with Christ, a better thing, much more than a better thing;

Coarctor autem e duobus: desiderium habens dissolvi, et esse cum Christo, multo magis melius:

But I am straitened between two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, a thing by far the better.

and yet, for your sakes, that I should wait in the body is more urgent still.

permanere autem in carne, necessarium propter vos.

But to abide still in the flesh, is needful for you.

I am certain of that, and I do not doubt that I shall wait, and wait upon you all, to the happy furtherance of your faith.

Et hoc confidens scio quia manebo, et permanebo omnibus vobis ad profectum vestrum, et gaudium fidei:

And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith:

Yes, you shall be prouder of me than ever in Christ Jesus, when I come once again to visit you.

ut gratulatio vestra abundet in Christo Jesu in me, per meum adventum iterum ad vos.

That your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus for me, by my coming to you again.

Only, you must play a part worthy of Christ’s gospel; whether I come to see you, or only hear about you at a distance, this must be my news of you, that you are standing fast in a common unity of spirit, with the faith of the gospel for your common cause.

Tantum digne Evangelio Christi conversamini: ut sive cum venero, et videro vos, sive absens audiam de vobis, quia statis in uno spiritu unanimes, collaborantes fidei Evangelii:

Only let your conversation be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you, or, being absent, may hear of you, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind labouring together for the faith of the gospel.

Shew a bold front at all points to your adversaries; that is the seal of their perdition, of your salvation, and it comes from God;

et in nullo terreamini ab adversariis: quæ illis est causa perditionis, vobis autem salutis, et hoc a Deo:

And in nothing be ye terrified by the adversaries: which to them is a cause of perdition, but to you of salvation, and this from God:

the grace that has been granted you is that of suffering for Christ’s sake, not merely believing in him.

quia vobis donatum est pro Christo, non solum ut in eum credatis, sed ut etiam pro illo patiamini:

For unto you it is given for Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.

Your battle is my own battle; you saw how I fought it once, and you have heard how I am fighting it now.

idem certamen habentes, quale et vidistis in me, et nunc audistis de me.

Having the same conflict as that which you have seen in me, and now have heard of me.