1Bulus da Timoti, bayin Kiristi Yesu,
Zuwa ga dukan tsarkaka cikin Kiristi Yesu a Filibbi, tare da masu kula da Ikkilisiya1.1 A al’adance su bishob da kuma masu hidima.
2Alheri da salama daga Allah Ubanmu da kuma Ubangiji Yesu Kiristi, su kasance tare ku.
Godiya da addu’a
3Ina gode wa Allahna a kowane lokacin da na tuna da ku. 4A cikin dukan addu’o’ina dominku duka, nakan yi addu’a da farin ciki kullum 5saboda tarayyarku a cikin bishara daga ranar farko har yă zuwa yanzu, 6da tabbacin cewa wanda ya fara kyakkyawan aikin nan a cikinku, zai kai shi ga kammalawa har yă zuwa ranar Kiristi Yesu.
7Daidai ne in yi wannan tunani game da dukanku, da yake kuna a zuciyata; domin ko ina daure cikin sarƙoƙi ko ina kāre bishara ina kuma tabbatar da ita, dukanku kuna tarayya cikin alherin Allah tare da ni. 8Allah shi ne shaidata, ya san yadda nake ƙaunarku duka da ƙaunar Kiristi Yesu.
9Addu’ata ita ce ƙaunarku tă yi ta cin gaba da ƙaruwa cikin sani da kuma zurfin ganewa, 10don ku iya rarrabe abin da yake mafi kyau, ku kuma zama da tsarki, marasa aibi har yă zuwa ranar Kiristi, 11cikakku da sakamakon aikin adalci da yake zuwa ta wurin Yesu Kiristi, zuwa ga ɗaukakar Allah da kuma yabonsa.
Sarƙoƙin Bulus sun sa ci gaban bishara
12To, ina so ku sani ’yan’uwa, cewa abin da ya faru da ni ya sa cin gaban bishara. 13Ta haka, ya zama sananne ga dukan masu gadin fada1.13 Ko kuwa dukan fada da kuma ga kowa cewa an daure ni da sarƙoƙi saboda Kiristi. 14Saboda sarƙoƙina, yawancin ’yan’uwa cikin Ubangiji sun sami ƙarfafawa su yi maganar Allah gabagadi da kuma babu tsoro.
15Gaskiya ce cewa waɗansu suna yin wa’azin Kiristi saboda kishi da neman faɗa, amma waɗansu da nufi mai kyau suke yi. 16Na biye suna yin haka cikin ƙauna, da sanin cewa an sa ni a nan ne domin kāriyar bishara. 17Na farin dai suna wa’azin Kiristi da sonkai ne, ba da zuciya ɗaya ba, a sonsu, su wahalar da ni a cikin sarƙoƙi.1.17 Waɗansu rubuce-rubucen hannun da ba su daɗe ba suna da aya 17 kafin aya 16. 18Me kuma? Ta ko yaya dai, ko da gangan, ko da gaske, ana shelar Kiristi. Domin wannan kuwa ina farin ciki.
I, zan kuwa ci gaba da farin ciki, 19gama na san cewa ta wurin addu’o’inku da kuma taimako daga Ruhun Yesu Kiristi, abin da ya same ni zai zama sanadin kuɓutata. 20Ina saurara da marmari da kuma bege cewa ba zan taɓa shan kunya ba, sai dai zan sami issashen ƙarfin hali yanzu kamar kullum, za a ɗaukaka Kiristi a jikina, ko ta wurin rayuwa ko kuma ta wurin mutuwa. 21Gama a gare ni, rai Kiristi ne, mutuwa kuma riba ce. 22In zan ci gaba da rayuwa a cikin jiki, wannan zai zama aiki mai amfani a gare ni. Duk da haka me zan zaɓa? Ban sani ba! 23Na rasa wanda zan zaɓa cikin biyun nan. Ina sha’awa in yi ƙaura in zauna tare da Kiristi, wannan kuwa ya fi kyau nesa ba kusa ba; 24amma ya fi muku muhimmanci in rayu cikin jiki. 25Na tabbata haka ne, na kuwa san zan wanzu in zauna tare da ku duka, domin ku ci gaba, bangaskiyarku tana sa ku farin ciki, 26domin ta wurin kasancewata tare da ku, farin cikinku cikin Kiristi Yesu zai cika sosai ta dalilina.
Rayuwar da ta dace da bishara
27Kome ya faru, ku yi zaman da ya cancanci bisharar Kiristi. Ta haka, ko na zo na gan ku, ko ban zo ba, in ji labari cewa kun tsaya da ƙarfi a cikin ruhu ɗaya, kuna fama kamar mutum ɗaya saboda bangaskiyar bishara 28ba tare da kun ji tsoron waɗanda suke gāba da ku ta kowace hanya ba. Wannan alama ce a gare su cewa za a hallaka su, amma a gare ku za a cece ku, wannan tabbacin kuwa daga wurin Allah ne. 29Gama an ba ku zarafi a madadin Kiristi cewa ba gaskatawa da shi kaɗai ba kuka yi ba, har ma ku sha wahala dominsa, 30da yake kuna shan faman da kuka gan na sha, kuna kuma jin cewa har yanzu ina sha.
1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons1:1 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Romans 16:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel
12Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,1:12 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 14; and in 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21. that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard1:13 Or whole palace and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.1:19 Or vindication; or salvation 20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If 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! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
Life Worthy of the Gospel
27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit,1:27 Or in one spirit striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
