Philippians 1:22
New International Version
If 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!

New Living Translation
But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.

English Standard Version
If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.

Berean Standard Bible
But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know.

Berean Literal Bible
But if I am to live in flesh, this is the fruit of labor for me. And what shall I choose? I do not know.

King James Bible
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

New King James Version
But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.

New American Standard Bible
But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

NASB 1995
But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

NASB 1977
But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

Legacy Standard Bible
But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know what I will choose.

Amplified Bible
If, 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].

Christian Standard Bible
Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose.

American Standard Version
But if to live in the flesh, � if this shall bring fruit from my work, then what I shall choose I know not.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But if also in this life of the flesh I have fruit in my work, I do not know what I shall choose for myself.

Contemporary English Version
I don't know what to choose. I could keep on living and doing something useful.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And if to live in the flesh, that is to me the fruit of labour, and what I shall choose I know not.

English Revised Version
But if to live in the flesh,--if this is the fruit of my work, then what I shall choose I wot not.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If I continue to live in this life, my work will produce more results. I don't know which I would prefer.

Good News Translation
But if by continuing to live I can do more worthwhile work, then I am not sure which I should choose.

International Standard Version
Now if I continue living, fruitful labor is the result, so I do not know which I would prefer.

Literal Standard Version
And if to live in the flesh [is] to me a fruit of work, then what will I choose? I do not know;

Majority Standard Bible
But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know.

New American Bible
If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose.

NET Bible
Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don't know which I prefer:

New Revised Standard Version
If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer.

New Heart English Bible
But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I do not make known what I will choose.

Webster's Bible Translation
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I know not.

Weymouth New Testament
But since to live means a longer stay on earth, that implies more labour for me--and not unsuccessful labour; and which I am to choose I cannot tell.

World English Bible
But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose.

Young's Literal Translation
And if to live in the flesh is to me a fruit of work, then what shall I choose? I know not;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
To Live is Christ
21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know. 23I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.…

Cross References
Romans 1:13
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

Philippians 1:23
I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.


Treasury of Scripture

But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I know not.

live.

Philippians 1:24
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

2 Corinthians 10:3
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

this.

Psalm 71:18
Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

Isaiah 38:18,19
For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth…

I wot.

Genesis 21:26
And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.

Genesis 39:8
But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

Exodus 32:1
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

Jump to Previous
Choose Decision Earth Flesh Fruit Fruitful Implies Live Longer Lot Mean Means Unsuccessful Work Worth Wot
Jump to Next
Choose Decision Earth Flesh Fruit Fruitful Implies Live Longer Lot Mean Means Unsuccessful Work Worth Wot
Philippians 1
1. Paul testifies his thankfulness to God, and his love toward the Philippians,
9. daily praying for their increase in grace;
12. he shows what good the faith of Christ had received by his troubles at Rome;
21. and how ready he is to glorify Christ either by his life or death;
27. exhorting them to unity;
28. and to fortitude in persecution.














(22) But if I live in the flesh . . .--The translation of this verse in the Authorised version is inaccurate, and perhaps a gloss to soften the difficulty of the original. The exact translation is, But if to live in the flesh this is to me a fruit of work, and what (or, what also) I shall choose I know not. The construction is clearly broken by emotion or absorption in thought; it can only be supplied by conjecture. If (as in 2Corinthians 2:2) the word "and," or "also," can be used to introduce the principal clause ("what then I shall choose," &c.), the construction will be correct, though harsh. If otherwise, we must suppose either that the sentence is broken at the word "work," or that the whole should run, But what if to live in the flesh is a part of work? And what I shall choose, I know not, &c. But though the construction is obscure, the sense is plain. St. Paul had said, "to die is gain." But the thought crosses him that to live still in the flesh, this and this only is (i.e., carries with it) a fruit of apostolical labour, in souls brought to Christ or built up in Him. Accordingly what to choose he knows not. For in such a harvest there is a gain, which outweighs his own personal gain on the other side.

I am in a strait betwixt (the) two.--The word here used signifies "to be hemmed in," or "confined," and is generally associated with some idea of distress (as in Luke 8:45; Luke 19:43), not unfrequently with the pressure of disease (Matthew 4:24; Luke 4:38; Acts 28:8). Our Lord uses it of mental distress in Himself (Luke 12:50): "How am I straitened till it be accomplished!" Here the sense is clear. St. Paul's mind is "hemmed in" between two opposing considerations, till it knows not which way to move, even in desire. . . .

Verse 22. - But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not; or perhaps, as Meyer, "I make not known." St. Paul wavers between his own personal longing for rest in Paradise with Christ, and the thought that the continuance of his life on earth might conduce to the spreading of the gospel. The grammar of the Greek sentence aptly represents the apostle's hesitation. The construction is almost hopelessly confused. Perhaps the interpretation of the R.V. is the simplest: "But if to live in the flesh, - if this is the fruit of my work, then what shall choose I wot not." Thus καρπός is parallel with κέρδος (Ver. 21); τὸ ζῇν ἐν σαρκι is also a gain, a fruit; the genitive is one of apposition; the work itself is the fruit. St. Paul, says Bengel, regards his work as fruit, others seek fruit from their work. Bishop Lightfoot proposes another rendering, "But what if my living in the flesh will bear fruit, etc.? In fact what to choose I know not." Surely, says Bengel, the Christian's lot is excellent; he can hesitate only in the choice of blessings; disappointed he cannot be.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

I go on living
ζῆν (zēn)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 2198: To live, be alive. A primary verb; to live.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[the] body,
σαρκί (sarki)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4561: Flesh, body, human nature, materiality; kindred.

this
τοῦτό (touto)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

[will mean] fruitful
καρπὸς (karpos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2590: Probably from the base of harpazo; fruit, literally or figuratively.

labor
ἔργου (ergou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 2041: From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.

for me.
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

So
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

what
τί (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

shall I choose?
αἱρήσομαι (hairēsomai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 138: To choose, prefer. Probably akin to airo; to take for oneself, i.e. To prefer.

I do not know.
γνωρίζω (gnōrizō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1107: To make known, declare, know, discover. From a derivative of ginosko; to make known; subjectively, to know.


Links
Philippians 1:22 NIV
Philippians 1:22 NLT
Philippians 1:22 ESV
Philippians 1:22 NASB
Philippians 1:22 KJV

Philippians 1:22 BibleApps.com
Philippians 1:22 Biblia Paralela
Philippians 1:22 Chinese Bible
Philippians 1:22 French Bible
Philippians 1:22 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: Philippians 1:22 But if I live on (Philipp. Phil. Php.)
Philippians 1:21
Top of Page
Top of Page