¹⁹ And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

²⁰ And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

²¹ And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

²² Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

²³ He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

²⁴ And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

²⁵ And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

²⁶ John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

²⁷ He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

²⁸ These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

²⁹ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

³⁰ This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

¹ Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ; To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants:

² Grace to you, and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ I thank my God whenever I remember you,

⁴ always in every request of mine on behalf of you all making my requests with joy,

⁵ for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now;

⁶ being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

⁷ It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.

⁸ For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.

⁹ This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;

¹⁰ so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ;

¹¹ being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

¹² Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News;

¹³ so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ;

¹⁴ and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.

¹⁶ The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

¹⁷ but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

¹⁸ What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.

¹⁹ For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

²⁰ according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.

²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

²² But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don't know what I will choose.

²³ But I am in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

²⁴ Yet, to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.

²⁵ Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,

²⁶ that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.

²⁷ Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

²⁸ and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

²⁹ Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,

³⁰ having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear is in me.