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 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. 22But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 25And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of 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 24:14And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”
• 1 Thessalonians 2:1For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.
• Luke 12:50But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!
• 2 Corinthians 6:12You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
• Luke 2:29“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;
• John 13:1Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
• 2 Corinthians 5:8We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
• 2 Timothy 4:6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
• Job 19:26And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,
• Psalms 49:15But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah
• Luke 8:38Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying,
• Luke 23:43And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I 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 again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
• John 17:24“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
• Acts 7:59And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
• 1 Thessalonians 4:17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall 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
• Confirmation
• Conversation
• Death
• Flesh
• Furtherance
• Yea
• Commentaries
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Hades

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