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 me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I know not. For I am in a strait between the two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance 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

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• straitσυνέχωsunechō · to hold/oppressG4912
• theἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• twoδύοduo · twoG1417
• havingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• desireἐπιθυμίαepithumia · desireG1939
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• departἀναλύωanaluō · to departG360
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• beεἶναιeinai · to existG1511
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• farπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• farμᾶλλονmallon · moreG3123
• betterκρείσσωνkreisson · greaterG2908

Cross-references for Philippians 1:23

• 2 Samuel 24:14And David said to Gad, I am in deep distress: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:1For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance to you, that it was not in vain:
• Luke 12:50But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I constrained till it shall be accomplished!
• 2 Corinthians 6:12Ye are not restrained by us, but ye are restrained by your own affections.
• Luke 2:29Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
• John 13:1Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of 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, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
• 2 Timothy 4:6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
• Job 19:26And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I 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 out of whom the demons had departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
• Luke 23:43And Jesus said to him, Verily I say to thee, This day shalt thou 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 ye may be also.
• John 17:24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given to me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given to me: for thou didst love me before the foundation of the world.
• Acts 7:59And they stoned Stephen, calling upon 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 so shall we ever 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