The passage
      v19-20. Paul begins with a statement of faith. He knows that the prayers of the church and the ministry of the Holy Spirit will support him in this difficult time. He believes he will stand firm, courageous to the end. Thus, Christ will be honoured, either by his life or by his death. He actually uses the word "deliverance", but does he believe that the prayers of the church will gain his release from prison? It is likely that "deliverance" here has an eternal sense. He knows that all things will ultimately work for God's good and therefore ours. Of one thing he is sure and it is that Christ will be exalted through the situation he now faces, whether it leads to his release, or his execution. The one element he needs in either situation is "courage", a courage instilled in him through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and bolstered by the prayers of the church. Thus, he will not be "ashamed"; he will not let Jesus down.
      v21. "Living to me means simply 'Christ', and if I die I should merely gain more of him", Phillips. As far as Paul is concerned, life is found in knowing Christ and serving him, in good times and bad. Death is even more wonderful. For the believer, death is but the means of fully knowing Christ. There are no limitations, no sin to deaden, nothing of the old life to resist fullness in Christ. Once through the vale, the "flesh" can no longer hinder our glorification.
      v22-24. To live or to die, where does the advantage lie? To die is better for Paul, but to live gives the opportunity of fruitful labour, and this is far better for the church. For Paul, life is about "fruitful labour." It gives us the opportunity of service to Christ on earth and this serves to prepare us for our reign with Christ in eternity. Yet, at the same time, in the midst of the difficulties of life, Paul is very aware of the advantage that comes when we "depart and be with Christ." Seen in these terms, death is certainly a beautiful option. Note the immediacy of being with Christ at death. Paul's words do not imply that we have some pre-resurrection existence with Christ prior to the resurrection of our bodies in the last day. It just illustrates the immediacy of eternal life for a believer. Time no longer has hold over us. As Jesus said to the thief on the cross, "this evening you will be with me in Paradise." In fact, even now God has "seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus", Eph.2:6. Yet, Paul knows well that "it is more necessary for you that I remain." It might be better for Paul to go to be with the Lord, but it is not better for the church. God's people need to be built up and a minister like Paul cannot be replaced. In fact, it is true of anyone who seeks to serve the people of God. It is better to stay and serve.
      v25-26. Given that it is better to live and serve, Paul is convinced that he will visit the Philippians again. When Paul says "I will remain", he is probably saying he knows that God's intention for him is that he will live longer so that he may continue in his labour for Christ. Of course, there is a purpose for his remaining and that is "your happy furtherance in the faith". Paul's hope is that he might labour for a growing understanding of divine truth in his new churches. This would naturally be accompanied by joy, the fruit of knowing Christ. So he adds, "your glorying in Christ will abound."

To live is Christ
      As a young minister, I was visiting a nursing home and a beautiful little lady told me that she just wanted to die. It was the first time someone had said this to me and I just didn't know what to say. Since then, I have had many elderly folk say the same thing to me.
      It is not unusual for elderly brothers and sisters in Christ, especially if bed-bound in a retirement home, to feel it is time to die and be with the Lord. It is a common feeling with those who have fought the good fight and now look toward their eternal reward. As we get older, we may express the same desire. The struggle of old age can be like that. There we are confined to our bed and in this condition it is "better by far" to "depart and be with Christ." There glory awaited us. No longer restricted by our body, no longer struggling for each gulp of air, no longer bowed by sin and the limitations of the flesh. The day may come when we will desire such freedom, for then death will be "gain."
      Yet, there is value in the continued struggle. This is easy for us to say if we have good health, but obviously not so easy if life has become a little tedious. It had obviously become tedious for Paul as he struggled to survive the daily drudgery of prison. Yet, whether it is easy or difficult to continue in the struggle of life, the truth is, it is valuable. The apostle defines this value simply:
        1. To learn courage in the midst of life's difficulties, rather than be overcome by fear and let the Lord down, v19-20.
        2. To give fruitful labour for the building up of the kingdom of God, rather than seek the easy path of self gratification, v21-24.
        3. To advance the knowledge of our brothers and sisters in Christ and so enhance their joy in believing, v25-26.
      So, may life for us be Christ, and death gain.

v19
      epicorhgiaV (a) "help given" -supply, provision. "Resources", Phillips.
      tou pneumatoV (a) "by the Spirit" - of the Spirit. Is this a subjective or objective genitive? i] Objective = the Spirit is given, "the Spirit of Jesus Christ is given me for support", NEB, Williams, Moffatt, ...; ii] Subjective = the Spirit does the giving, so NIV, TEV, CEV, ... "the Spirit of Jesus Christ supplies me with all I need", NEB, alt.
      Ihsou Cristou (oV) gen. "of Jesus Christ" - This second genitive is possibly in apposition to "Spirit", "the Spirit who is Jesus Christ", or more likely descriptive / epexegetic. Which Spirit? The Spirit who is one with Christ Jesus, the divine Spirit.
      touto pro. "what has happened [to me]" - this. "This state of things, these perplexities and annoyances", Lightfoot. The recent trial, but also possibly the dangerous future.
      apobhsetai (apobainw) fut. mid. "will turn out" - basically means "go away" and therefore "result in", "end in".
      swthrian (a) "deliverance" - salvation. Personal safety is possibly Paul's intention here and in particular, his release from prison; "the outcome of this, I know, will be my release", Moffatt. The other possibility is that the trial he is undergoing will serve an eternal end - his shaping toward eternity; "spiritual welfare", Williams.

v20
      apokaradokian (a) "eagerly expect" - eagerly expect, earnestly desire. With focused attention, deep desire for ... Possibly a single expression when linked with "hope", so "confident hope", REB.
      aiscunqhsomai (aiscunomai) ...... parrhsia "[in no way] be ashamed, [but will have sufficient] boldness" - in nothing will I be ashamed, but with all boldness/liberty (especially in speech). The words are set to oppose each other; "that I shall never fail in my duty, but ..... I shall be full of courage", TEV.
      megalunqhsetai (megalunw) fut. pas. "[Christ] will be exalted" - will be magnified, enlarged, lengthened, increased. Although passive, an active causative translation makes better sense; "bring honor to Christ", CEV, cf. 2Cor.4:10, 1Cor.6:20. Whatever happens to him, Paul wants Christ magnified, rather than himself.
      en tw/ swmati mou "in my body" - in the body of me. Simply, "in me", REB.
      eite dia zwhV eite dia qanatou "whether by life or by death" - weather through life, or weather through death. "Weather I live or die", TEV.

v21
      to zhn (zaw) pres. inf. "to live [is Christ]" - to live [Christ]. Articular infinitive functioning as the subject of the sentence. The tense indicates continuation, so "live" in the sense of living life. "I live only to serve him, only to commune with him, I have no conception of life apart from him", Bengel. "Life means Christ", Bruce
      to apoqanein (apoqnhskw) aor. inf. "to die [is gain]" - to die [gain]. The tense indicating a single action, "die" as in suffering death. Death has profit or advantage because then we will be eternally one with Christ. "I will gain even more", CEV.

v22
      ei de to "if I am [to go on living ....]" - but if. The "if" is not introducing a condition, but rather expressing indecision. Lightfoot's suggestion that the form implies interrogation is probably best. Literally, "what if to live in the flesh is fruit of my work to me? What I shall choose I know not." So, something like "there is certainly a great advantage in death. Yet, what if there is still much I can do for the Lord? What then do I choose?" The final clause is usually treated as the result of the life/death dilemma.
      zhn en sarki "living in the body" - natural life, as opposed to spiritual/heavenly/eternal life.
      ou gnwrizw pres. "I do not know" - I do not declare, make known / understand, know. In New Testament Greek the word usually means "make known", but the less common "understand" is best here. Not that Paul could choose either life or death; this lies in the will of God. The dilemma lies in not knowing which is for the best. "I cannot tell", Goodspeed.

v23
      sunecomai (sunecw) ek twn duo "I am torn between the two" - I am hemmed in, constrained, hard-pressed / torn apart, pulled, from the two. Note the two possible meanings which, of course, are reflected in the different translations. We might say something like "I am drawn between the advantages of both life and death and find it difficult to choose where the advantage lies."
      ecwn (ecw) part. "-" - having [the desire]. Introducing a participle phrase translated as a finite statement in the NIV.
      analusai (analuw) aor. inf. "to depart" - to break camp, pack up and move on, depart. Used literally, or as here, figuratively of death. The infinitive forms a substantival phrase, object of the verb "I desire." "To leave this life and be with Christ", TEV. It is interesting how Paul maintains both the immediacy of union with Christ upon death, as here, but at the same time he can speak of sleeping in Christ as he awaits the day of resurrection. Again we see how death transcends time.
      pollw/ mallon kreisson "which is better by far" - much much better. A positive, comparative, superlative adj. A very interesting triple comparative. "A better thing, much more than a better thing", Knox.

v24
      anagkaioteron (anagkaioV) comp. adj. "more necessary" - "For your sake the greater need is ...", REB.
      epimenein (epimenw) pres. inf. "that I remain" - to remain, abide, in the sense of continue to abide in the body. The infinitive functions as the subject of the verb "is necessary". The sense is: remain in this present life. "I should stay here on earth", Phillips.

v25
      pepoiqwV (peiqw) perf. part. "convinced [of this]" - having been persuaded of. Genitive absolute participle, usually forming a temporal clause, but here probably causal. Either, Paul is confidently persuaded that his life will be spared and that he will continue to minister to the church, "I am sure I shall remain", REB; or Paul is sure that his view expressed in v24 is the most advantageous, "I am convinced of this and I know ..", Weymouth.
      oida perf. "I know" - I know. "Know" in the sense of personal conviction
      paramenw fut. "I will continue" - abide beside, continue beside. "I shall stay on and serve you all", Goodspeed.
      eiV "for" - to, for. Expressing purpose.
      thn uJmwn prokophn kai caran "your progress and joy" - the your progress and joy. These two nouns, given that only one article is provided, probably convey a single idea, qualifying both "your" and "faith", "happy furtherance", Knox.
      thV pistewV (iV) gen. "in the faith" - of the faith. There are different ways to understand the genitive. i] "The happy furtherance of your life of faith", genitive of description - "faith" is used here in the sense of "trust"; ii] "The happy furtherance of your life that develops from your faith", genitive of source; iii] "Your happy furtherance in the faith", objective genitive - "faith" in the sense of "Christian truth." Probably option iii is best; Paul knows that staying is the best, as it enables him to build up the church with the knowledge of Christ.