Philippians 1:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.

NIV: If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

NASB: But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

CSB: Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don't know which one I should choose.

NLT: But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.

KJV: But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

NKJV: But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.

Paul confidently states that any time he had left on earth would result in positive work for God. He did not see the remainder of his life as wasted time, even if he was to spend it in imprisonment. Instead, every moment of every day is to be considered "fruitful labor," or positive work that can be done for the Lord. Our choices in this life do matter, and Paul was well aware of how precious our given time is. This is one of the reasons Paul often refers to his years of rejecting Christ, before his conversion (1 Corinthians 15:9).

For as much as Paul wanted to serve God, the different outcomes before him create a dilemma. Naturally, he desired to be with Christ immediately. In some ways, death is preferable to life for the believer because it means living forever in the presence of the Lord. However, God also has plans for our life during the days we live. We are called to live every moment for His glory, allowing the Lord to define when we end our life on earth and begin our new life in heaven.

Philippians 1:19–30 shows Paul reflecting on two competing desires. On one hand, a believer wants to serve God and bring others to Christ through their life. On the other hand, a Christian yearns to leave suffering behind—to be with God in eternity. Paul concludes that it's better to live until God calls him home, so he can serve his fellow men. Paul also encourages the Philippians with his conviction that he will be released to see them again. His experiences, good or bad, are all adding to the glory of Jesus Christ.

In chapter 1, Paul thanks the Philippian believers for supporting his ministry. Even when Paul was jailed, or persecuted, they had been generous and loyal. Paul encourages these Christians by explaining that all of his suffering has been for a good cause. Even better, these attempts to persecute Paul have actually caused the gospel to spread. For this, Paul is grateful. He fully expects to be released, and to see the believers of Philippi again.

Chapter 1 introduces the major themes of Paul's letter. A large proportion of the passage is given to thanking the Philippian church for their loyal support of Paul. Paul also encourages them with a reminder that, good or bad, anything a Christian experiences can be used for the glory of God. This sets the tone for the rest of the letter, where Paul will continue to stress the importance of living out the Christian life. This, he says, starts with having a proper attitude and approach.

Philippians is Paul's discussion of living the Christian life. In this letter to the church of Philippi, Paul highlights themes such as joy and glory. He also puts great emphasis on how a Christian's thinking—their attitude—affects the way they live out their faith. Paul is very thankful for the support of the Philippian church, but is also concerned about the influence of various false teachers. This letter is less theological than most of his other writings, and more practical.

Accessed 5/6/2024 11:03:38 PM