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Philippians 1

Phil. 1:21 KJV (With Strong’s)

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21
For
gar (Greek #1063)
properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
KJV usage: and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.
Pronounce: gar
Origin: a primary particle
to me
emoi (Greek #1698)
to me
KJV usage: I, me, mine, my.
Pronounce: em-oy'
Origin: a prolonged form of 3427
to live
zao (Greek #2198)
to live (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: life(-time), (a-)live(-ly), quick.
Pronounce: dzah'-o
Origin: a primary verb
is Christ
Christos (Greek #5547)
anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus
KJV usage: Christ.
Pronounce: khris-tos'
Origin: from 5548
, and
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
to die
apothnesko (Greek #599)
to die off (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: be dead, death, die, lie a-dying, be slain (X with).
Pronounce: ap-oth-nace'-ko
Origin: from 575 and 2348
a is gain
kerdos (Greek #2771)
gain (pecuniary or genitive case)
KJV usage: gain, lucre.
Pronounce: ker'-dos
Origin: of uncertain affinity
.*
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
a
Rev. 14:13• 13And I heard a voice out of the heaven saying, Write, Blessed the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; for their works follow with them. (Rev. 14:13)

More on:

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Christ

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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to live.
Phil. 1:20• 20according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but in all boldness, as always, now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether by life or by death. (Phil. 1:20)
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Phil. 2:21• 21For all seek their own things, not the things of Jesus Christ. (Phil. 2:21)
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1 Cor. 1:30• 30But of him are *ye* in Christ Jesus, who has been made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and holiness, and redemption; (1 Cor. 1:30)
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Gal. 6:14• 14But far be it from me to boast save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. (Gal. 6:14)
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Col. 3:4• 4When the Christ is manifested who is our life, then shall *ye* also be manifested with him in glory. (Col. 3:4)
to die.
Phil. 1:23• 23But I am pressed by both, having the desire for departure and being with Christ, for it is very much better, (Phil. 1:23)
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Isa. 57:1‑2• 1The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from before the evil.
 2He entereth into peace: they rest in their beds, each one that hath walked in his uprightness. (Isa. 57:1‑2)
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Rom. 8:35‑39• 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
 36According as it is written, For thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we have been reckoned as sheep for slaughter.
 37But in all these things we more than conquer through him that has loved us.
 38For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:35‑39)
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1 Cor. 3:22• 22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things coming, all are yours; (1 Cor. 3:22)
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2 Cor. 5:1,6,8• 1For we know that if our earthly tabernacle house be destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
 6Therefore we are always confident, and know that while present in the body we are absent from the Lord,
 8we are confident, I say, and pleased rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:1,6,8)
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1 Thess. 4:13‑15• 13But we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are fallen asleep, to the end that ye be not grieved even as also the rest who have no hope.
 14For if we believe that Jesus has died and has risen again, so also God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.
 15(For this we say to you in the word of the Lord, that *we*, the living, who remain to the coming of the Lord, are in no way to anticipate those who have fallen asleep; (1 Thess. 4:13‑15)
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Rev. 14:13• 13And I heard a voice out of the heaven saying, Write, Blessed the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; for their works follow with them. (Rev. 14:13)
• But then a man must have made the work his life. “To me to live is Christ.” If so, if the work prospers, he prospers; if Christ is glorified, he is content, even if the Lord has laid him aside. (“Philippians 1” by J.N. Darby)
• To live was for him—not the work in itself, nor only that the faithful should stand fast in the gospel, although this could not be separated from the thought of Christ, because they were members of His body—Christ; to die was gain, for he should be with Christ. (“Philippians 1” by J.N. Darby)
• Such was the purifying effect of the ways of God, who had made him pass through the ordeal, so terrible to him, of being separated for years, perhaps four, from his work for the Lord. The Lord Himself had taken the place of the work—so far at least as it was connected with Paul individually; and the work was committed to the Lord Himself. (“Philippians 1” by J.N. Darby)
• There is blessed faith in this. But then a man must have made the work his life. “To me to live is Christ.” If so, if the work prospers, he prospers; if Christ is glorified, he is content, even if the Lord has laid him aside. (“Philippians 1” by J.N. Darby)
• Living or dying, his eye was now more fixed on Christ than even on the work (“Philippians 1” by J.N. Darby)
• With Paul it is so blessed to see that both living and dying were connected with Christ. If he lived, it was for Christ: if he died, it would mean that he would be with Christ. (“Philippians 1” by H. Smith)
• “For me to live is Christ.” It is one thing to have Christ as our life — every believer can say this — but it is another thing to live the life that we have. Is Christ the one Object before us, that occupies us from day to day — the motive for all that we think and say and do? (“Philippians 1” by H. Smith)

J. N. Darby Translation

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21
For for me to live is Christ, and to die gain;

W. Kelly Translation

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21
For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die gaina;

WK Translation Notes

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a
The truth of the verse is that "to live" is the subject, "Christ" the predicate of the first proposition; "to die" is the subject, "gain" the predicate of the second, as in the KJV.