Swindoll Study Bible and Searching the Scriptures - Flipbook - Page 15
P hilippians 1 : 7
7 So 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. 8 God knows how much I love
you and long for you with the tender compassion of
Christ Jesus.
9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more,
and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and
understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what
really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless
lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May 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.
Paul’s Joy That Christ Is Preached
12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sis
ters,* that everything that has happened to me here
has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone
here, including the whole palace guard,* knows that
I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of
my imprisonment, most of the believers* here have
gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message*
without fear.
15 It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy
and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with
pure motives. 16 They preach because they love me,
for they know I have been appointed to defend the
Good News. 17 Those others do not have pure mo
tives as they preach about Christ. They preach with
selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my
chains more painful to me. 18 But that doesn’t matter.
Whether their motives are false or genuine, the mes
sage about Christ is being preached either way, so I
rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. 19 For I know
that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ
helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.
Paul’s Life for Christ
20 For 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
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life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.
21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying
is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful
work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.
23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be
with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But
for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
25 Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain
alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and expe
rience the joy of your faith. 26 And 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.
Live as Citizens of Heaven
27 Above
all, you must live as citizens of heaven, con
ducting 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. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your ene
mies. 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. 29 For you have been given not only
the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privi
lege of suffering for him. 30 We 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.
Have the Attitude of Christ
2
Is there any encouragement from belonging to
Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellow
ship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender
and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy
by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving
one another, and working together with one mind
and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be
humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take
an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ
Jesus had.
LIVING INSIGHTS
6 Though he was God,*
SUFFERING Phil. 1:29 Suffering is inevitable. No
getting around it. You will not escape suffering, nor will
your children, nor did your parents. It is an inevitable,
albeit painful, path we must walk in life. Paul reminds
us here that sometimes, for Christians, our suffer
ing is not merely part of God’s will—it is actually a
privilege. Of course, some emissaries of false doctrine
today claim that all suffering is outside the will of
God. “If you are suffering,” they say, “it must mean you
are in sin. If you deal sufficiently with your sin, your
suffering will end.” That is not true. Paul’s statement
here proves it. His words also offer us encouragement
to face the suffering that will come with Christlike
grace and obedience.
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, 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,*
8
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of
highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
1:11 Greek with the fruit of righteousness through Jesus Christ. 1:12 Greek brothers.
1:13 Greek including all the Praetorium. 1:14a Greek brothers in the Lord.
1:14b Some manuscripts read speak the message. 2:6 Or Being in the form of God.
2:7a Greek he emptied himself. 2:7b Or the form of a slave. 2:7c Some English
translations put this phrase in verse 8.