Verse

Philippians 1:21 — For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Philippians 1:21 · KJV

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The verses around Philippians 1:21.

19For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20According 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.

21For to 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 wot not.

23For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Read the full chapter of Philippians 1 →

Verse explanation

Paul sums up the dilemma of someone imprisoned awaiting a trial that could end in execution: if he keeps living, his whole life already revolves around Christ; if he dies, he counts death as “gain,” not loss, because it would bring him even closer to Christ. It isn’t a wish to die out of despair — it’s the logic of someone who no longer sees his own life as separate from his faith.

From the Philippians 1 study in Bible in Stories.

Philippians 1:21 in other versions

The same verse in the 4 Bible versions we have on the site.

In other languages: Português (Filipenses 1:21) · Español (Filipenses 1:21)

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