Philippians 1:23

Philippians 1:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
• New International Version (NIV)I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
• English Standard Version (ESV)I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

Context of Philippians 1:23

21For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity]. 22If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice]. But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better; 24yet to remain in my body is more necessary and essential for your sake. 25Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

Philippians 1:23 word by word

συνέχομαι δὲ ἐκ τῶν δύο, τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχων εἰς τὸ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι, πολλῷ γὰρ μᾶλλον κρεῖσσον·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• I am in a straitσυνέχωsunechō · to hold/oppressG4912
• betwixtἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• twoὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• twoδύοduo · twoG1417
• havingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a desireἐπιθυμίαepithumia · desireG1939
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• departἀναλύωanaluō · to departG360
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• which isπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• farμᾶλλονmallon · moreG3123
• betterκρείσσωνkreisson · greaterG2908

Cross-references for Philippians 1:23

• 2 Samuel 24:14Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hands of man.”
• 1 Thessalonians 2:1For you know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you has not been ineffective (fruitless, in vain),
• Luke 12:50I have a baptism [of great suffering] with which to be baptized, and how [greatly] I am distressed until it is accomplished!
• 2 Corinthians 6:12There is no limit to our affection for you, but you are limited in your own affection [for us].
• Luke 2:29“Now, Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to leave [this world] in peace, According to Your word;
• John 13:1Now before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that His hour had come [and it was time] for Him to leave this world and return to the Father. Having [greatly] loved His own who were in the world, He loved them [and continuously loves them with His perfect love] to the end (eternally).
• 2 Corinthians 5:8we are [as I was saying] of good courage and confident hope, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
• 2 Timothy 4:6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure [from this world] is at hand and I will soon go free.
• Job 19:26Even after my [mortal] skin is destroyed [by death], Yet from my [immortal] flesh I will see God,
• Psalms 49:15But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah.
• Luke 8:38But the man from whom the demons had gone out kept begging Him, pleading to go with Him; but Jesus sent him away, saying,
• Luke 23:43Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
• John 14:3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.
• John 17:24Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given to Me [as Your gift to Me], may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
• Acts 7:59They continued stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my spirit!”
• 1 Thessalonians 4:17Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord!

Commentaries on Philippians 1:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23For I am in a strait betwixt two - Viz. the dying now, and being immediately with God; or living longer to preach and spread the Gospel, and thus glorify Christ among men. Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ - . It appears to be a metaphor taken from the commander of a vessel, in a foreign port, who feels a strong desire , to set sail, and get to his own country and family; but this desire is counterbalanced by a conviction that the general…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23For I am in a strait betwixt two - Two things, each of which I desire. I earnestly long to be with Christ; and I desire to remain to be useful to the world. The word rendered “I am in a strait” - ́ sunechomai- means to be pressed on or constrained, as in a crowd; to feel oneself pressed or pent up so as not to know what to do; and it here means that he was in perplexity and doubt, and did not know what to choose. “The words of the original are very…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-26Verses 21-26 Death is a great loss to a carnal, worldly man, for he loses all his earthly comforts and all his hopes; but to a true believer it is gain, for it is the end of all his weakness and misery. It delivers him from all the evils of life, and brings him to possess the chief good. The apostle's difficulty was not between living in this world and living in heaven; between these two there is no comparison; but between serving Christ in this world and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23I desire to depart and be with Christ: Death leads believers immediately into the Lord’s presence (see 3:20–21; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23, 51–52; 2 Corinthians 5:1–8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. For--The oldest manuscripts read, "But." "I know not (Php 1:22), BUT am in a strait (am perplexed) betwixt the two (namely, 'to live' and 'to die'), having the desire for departing (literally, 'to loose anchor,' 2Ti 4:6) and being with Christ; FOR (so the oldest manuscripts) it is by far better"; or as the Greek, more forcibly, "by far the more preferable"; a double comparative. This refutes the notion of the soul being dormant during its separation…Read the comment

Topics related to Philippians 1:23

• Death
• Epaphras
• Love
• Resignation
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Confirmation
• Conversation
• Death
• Flesh
• Furtherance
• Yea
• Commentaries
• Eschatology of the New Testament

Commentaries on Philippians 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings