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Philippians 1:20

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.
Philippians 1:20 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.
  • KJV According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
  • BSB I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
  • NKJV according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
  • NASB according to my eager expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Paul's deep hope is that Christ will be honored in his body, whether he lives or dies. His one aim is for Christ to be magnified.

Overview

He expects not to be shamed but to display courage so that Christ is exalted through him in any outcome. Life and death are equally arenas for glorifying Christ. This single-minded devotion sets up the famous declaration of the next verse.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 38

  • 1 Pet 4:16But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter.
  • 1 Cor 6:20for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
  • Isa 54:4“Don’t be afraid; for you will not be ashamed. Don’t be confounded; for you will not be disappointed. For you will forget the shame of your youth; and the reproach of your widowhood you shall remember no more.
  • 1 Th 5:23May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • 1 Jn 2:28Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
  • Eph 6:19–20on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,
  • 2 Cor 4:10always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
  • Rom 8:19For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
  • Phil 2:17Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.
  • 2 Tim 4:6–7For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.
  • Rom 14:7–9For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.
  • Isa 50:7For the Lord Yahweh will help me. Therefore I have not been confounded. Therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be disappointed.
  • 2 Cor 10:8For though I should boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down) I will not be disappointed,
  • 1 Cor 7:34There is also a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world — how she may please her husband.
  • Ps 119:116Uphold me according to your word, that I may live. Let me not be ashamed of my hope.
  • Isa 45:17Israel will be saved by Yahweh with an everlasting salvation. You will not be disappointed nor confounded to ages everlasting.
  • Rom 5:5and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
  • Col 1:24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly;
  • Rom 12:1Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.
  • 2 Pet 1:12–15Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth.
  • Phil 1:23–24But I am in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
  • Acts 21:13Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
  • 2 Cor 7:14For if in anything I have boasted to him on your behalf, I was not disappointed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was found to be truth.
  • John 21:19Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
  • Ps 62:5My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my expectation is from him.
  • Acts 20:24But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.
  • Ps 119:80Let my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be disappointed. KAF
  • John 12:27–28“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But for this cause I came to this time.
  • Prov 23:18Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
  • 1 Cor 15:31I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
  • 2 Cor 5:15He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
  • Prov 10:28The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hope of the wicked will perish.
  • Rom 6:19I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification.
  • Rom 9:33even as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed.”
  • Phil 1:14and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.
  • Rom 6:13Also, do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
  • 2 Cor 2:14–16Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.
  • Ps 25:2My God, I have trusted in you. Don’t let me be shamed. Don’t let my enemies triumph over me.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Philippians videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Philippians 1:20YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PhilippiansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The one who, being in the form of God, emptied himself to the point of death on a cross and was exalted to the name above every name — the joy and prize of the believer.

How Philippians 1:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.