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:
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.

Context of Philippians 1:23

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! I 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,

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 24:14David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
• 1 Thessalonians 2:1You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results.
• Luke 12:50But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
• 2 Corinthians 6:12We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us.
• Luke 2:29“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
• John 13:1It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
• 2 Corinthians 5:8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
• 2 Timothy 4:6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
• Job 19:26And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
• Psalms 49:15But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.
• Luke 8:38The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,
• Luke 23:43Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell 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 and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
• John 17:24“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
• Acts 7:59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
• 1 Thessalonians 4:17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

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