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 Messiah and to die is gain. 22But if to live on in the body means fruit from my work, what shall I choose? I do not know. I am torn between the two—having a desire to leave and be with Messiah, which is far better; 24yet for your sake, to remain in the body is more necessary. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for the sake of 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 a great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of Adonai, for His mercies are great, and let me not fall into the hand of man.”
• 1 Thessalonians 2:1For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not in vain.
• Luke 12:50But I have an immersion to endure, and how distressed I am until it is finished!
• 2 Corinthians 6:12You are not restricted by us, yet you are restricted in your own feelings.
• Luke 2:29“Now may You let Your servant go in peace, O Sovereign Master, according to Your word.
• John 13:1Now it was just before the feast of Passover. Yeshua knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them until the end.
• 2 Corinthians 5:8We are confident, I say, and prefer rather to be absent 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 of my departure has come.
• Job 19:26Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
• Psalms 49:15Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd and the upright will rule over them in the morning. Their image will decay in Sheol— far from its lofty place.
• Luke 8:38The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with Yeshua. But Yeshua sent him away, saying,
• Luke 23:43Yeshua said to him, “Amen, I tell you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
• John 14:3If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may also be.
• John 17:24“Father, I also want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory—the glory You gave Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
• Acts 7:59They went on stoning Stephen as he was calling out, “Lord Yeshua, receive my spirit!”
• 1 Thessalonians 4:17Then we who are alive, who are left behind, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air—and so 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
• 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