Philippians 1:21–26 · King James Version

To live is Christ

For Paul, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Torn between departing to be with Christ, which is far better, and remaining for the church’s sake, he is confident that he will stay with them for their progress and joy in the faith.

6 verses · 22 glosses · All commentators

1:21

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Commentary · 4 glosses

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain … The meaning is evidently this, Christ is my life here by grace, and hereafter by glory; he is both the Author and the end of my life; I live for him, I live to him, I live in him, I live by him, and if I be put to death, that shall no way endamage me, but rather bring me great advantage, in regard that thereby I shall exchange and gain heaven for earth, and a happy eternal life, for this miserable and mortal. Or, all the gain I aim at in life or death, is Christ, namely, to glorify him by my service.

They who follow our Translation, do expound the proposition disjunctively. The former referring to the honour of Christ, and the latter to the Salvation of Paul, which is understood by the name of gain. … Then for the latter branch if I die, in bearing Testimony to Christ, ‘twill be gain to myself, in that I shall be with Christ which is better for me, v. 23, being present with the Lord, 2 Cor 5:8, in whom my life is hid, Col 3:3. So that death would not impoverish, but enrich him. … and if he died in that cause, Christ would gain by his Death, in that his truth would by the Blood of him, who was a Martyr, be further sealed, and his interest promoted, and his Glory advanced, and he himself would gain sith upon his departure, he should be advanced to be with Christ, Phil 1:23, who alone makes his faithful Servants happy in Life and Death.

on 1:21–26

Observe, 1. It is the undoubted character of every good Christian that to him to live is Christ. The glory of Christ ought to be the end of our life, the grace of Christ the principle of our life, and the word of Christ the rule of it. The Christian life is derived from Christ, and directed to him. He is the principle, rule, and end of it. 2. All those to whom to live is Christ to them to die will be gain: it is great gain, a present gain, everlasting gain. Death is a great loss to a carnal worldly man; for he loses all his comforts and all his hopes: but to a good Christian it is gain, for it is the end of all his weakness and misery and the perfection of his comforts and accomplishment of his hopes; it delivers him from all the evils of life, and brings him to the possession of the chief good.

For to me to live is Christ – Christ was his life “efficiently”, the efficient cause and author of his spiritual life; he spoke it into him, produced it in him, and disciplined him with it: and he was his life, objectively, the matter and object of his life, that on which he lived; … and he was his life, “finally”, the end of his life; what he aimed at throughout the whole course of his life was the glory of Christ, the good of his church and people, the spread of his Gospel, the honour of his name, and the increase of his interest; and this last seems to be the true sense of the phrase here; … or thus, for me to live and to die is Christ’s gain; his life being spent in his service, in living according to his will, in preaching his Gospel, serving his churches, and suffering for his sake, was for his glory; and his death being for his sake, in the faith of him, and the steady profession of it, would be what would glorify him, and so be his gain likewise; and this seems to be the genuine sense of the words, which contain a reason of the apostle’s faith, why he was persuaded Christ would be magnified or glorified in his body, whether by life or by death.

1:22

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

Commentary · 4 glosses

But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour – Or, But whether to live in the flesh be profitable for me, or what I should choose. That Christ is magnified in my body, whether of the two I should choose, life or death, I cannot resolve.

Some from the various use of the Greek Particles render this first clause interrogatively. But whether to live in the flesh were worth the while? or more profitable? (understand than to die.) … yet what I shall choose, I wot not – He seems, loving the Philippians as himself, to be at a loss what to determine, if God should permit him his choice, whether by labouring in his ministry for the good of their Souls, he should bring more fruit to Christ, or by suffering that which would arise from the Blood of a Martyr, who himself should receive a Crown, 2 Tim 4:8.

on 1:21–26

I. If I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour (Phil 1:22), that is, Christ is. He reckoned his labour well bestowed, if he could be instrumental to advance the honour and interest of the kingdom of Christ in the world. It is the fruit of my labour—karpos ergou—operæ pretium.¹ It is worth while for a good Christian and a good minister to live in the world as long as he can glorify God and do good to his church.

But if I live in the flesh – To be in the flesh sometimes signifies to be in a state of nature and unregeneracy, and to live in and after the flesh, to live according to the dictates of corrupt nature; but here it signifies living in the body, or the life which is in the flesh, as the Syriac version renders the phrase here, and as the apostle expresses it in Galatians 2:20, and the sense is, if I should live any longer in the body, and be continued for some time in this world: … Christ’s faithful ministers are labourers; they labour in the word and doctrine, both in studying and preaching it; and such a labourer was the apostle, who by the grace of God laboured more abundantly than others.

1:23

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

Commentary · 4 glosses

For I am in a strait betwixt two – I am perplexed and doubtful betwixt these two desires and wishes, there being very forcible and weighty arguments on either side. … The word signifieth also to change our abode or dwelling, that is, to depart this life, by a metaphor taken from those that quit their Inns, to further their travel homewards; or from such as be ready to go to Sea, and to set Sail for another country, untie and loosen the cables, whereby the ship lay fastened and bound at the shore. It signifieth also, to be released, and set at large, and at liberty; and it is very probable, that the Apostle in this phrase ἀναλύσαι, had a reference both to his bonds and to his death; and his meaning is, I desire to be discharged and released, as out of a common Gaole, so also out of the prison of my body, that I may presently be with Christ my Saviour in heaven, in rest and bliss.

His love to the enjoyment of Christ and the Edification of his Members constraining him on each hand; the former was more delightful to him, and the latter more profitable for them. having a desire to depart – Being held not only with a bare inclination, but an ardent and perpetually Active desire, to loose from this Clayey Tabernacle, Ps 42:1–⁠2; Eccl 12:7; Luke 2:29; 12:36; 2 Cor 5:1, 4; 2 Tim 4:6. So to depart as to abide in a better place. and to be with Christ, which is far better – Upon being absent from the Body to be present with Christ. 2 Cor 5:8, in paradise. Luke 23:43; 1 Thess 4:17, so to leave the Body as to live with and enjoy him in Heaven is by far much better for me.

on 1:21–26

It was a blessed strait which Paul was in, not between two evil things, but between two good things. David was in a strait by three judgments—sword, famine, and pestilence: Paul was in a strait between two blessings—living to Christ, and being with him. … (2.) As soon as ever the soul departs, it is immediately with Christ. This day shalt thou be with me in paradise, Luke 23:43, Absent from the body and present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:8), without any interval between. … for in this world we are compassed about with sin, born to trouble, born again to it; but, if we come to be with Christ, farewell sin and temptation, farewell sorrow and death, for ever.

Death is not an annihilation of men, neither of soul nor body; it is a separation of them, but not a destruction of either; it is a dissolution of the union between them for a while, when both remain in a separate state till the resurrection: … and it is also manifest that souls do not sleep with the body in the grave until the resurrection; the souls of the saints are immediately with Christ, in the enjoyment of his presence, in happiness and glory, hoping, believing, and waiting for the resurrection of their bodies; … but upon a soul’s departure and being with Christ, it is free from sin and sorrow, and in the utmost pleasure, enjoying communion with him without interruption.

1:24

Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

Commentary · 4 glosses

Nevertheless to abide in the flesh – Here we have an example of a true shepherd, who maketh more account how he may profit his flock, then of any commodity of his own whatsoever, though it were better for his own particular to glorify Christ by his present death and Martyrdom, that so he might presently enjoy Christ, and receive his Crown of glory; yet he chooseth rather to abide in the flesh, and prolong his life, though in miseries, perils, and bonds, for the furtherance and joy of their faith.

Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh, is more needful for you – However with respect to the Church, by his staying here in this mortal body he persuades himself, knowing the subtilty of false Apostles, who would enter in as grievous Wolves, Acts 20:29. It was necessary to strengthen them and other Churches in the faith of Christ.

on 1:21–26

Observe, Those who have most reason to desire to depart should be willing to continue in the world as long as God has any work for them to do. Paul’s strait was not between living in this world and living in heaven; between these two there is no comparison: but his strait was between serving Christ in this world and enjoying him in another.

[is] more needful for you; for their comfort, edification, and instruction, their further profiting: … and thus, like a brave and good man, he prefers a public good to a private one.

1:25

And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;

Commentary · 3 glosses

that I shall abide and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith – To these ends that by his personal presence with them, he might by his ministry further their faith in Christ, their joy in the Holy Ghost, and more abundant glorying in the power of Jesus Christ, for his safety, and being restored to them, as we see in what follows, and Ephesians 4:12, with 2 Timothy 4:17, we find from his first imprisonment at Rome, (when likely this Epistle was written) he was delivered and for some years restored to the Churches which he had planted.

on 1:21–26

2. Whatsoever is best for the church, we may be sure God will do. … 4. What promotes our faith and joy of faith is very much for our furtherance in the way to heaven. The more faith the more joy, and the more faith and joy the more we are furthered in our Christian course.

and accordingly some have thought that he was after this set at liberty, and travelled through several countries preaching the Gospel, and after that was committed to prison and suffered death; but of this there is no sufficient proof: or rather therefore of a conjectural knowledge arising from the present state of things, and his view of it.

1:26

That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Commentary · 3 glosses

your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me, by my coming to you again – Here, in confidence of being again with them, and staying with them, he expresseth an admirable affection to them, that he can be content for a time to be deprived of the glorious sight of Christ, that he might see and serve them, and that under persecution.

on 1:21–26

2. All our joys should terminate in Christ. Our joy in good ministers should be our joy in Christ Jesus for them; for they are but the friends of the bridegroom, and are to be received in his name, and for his sake.

for me; yet it was on account of Jesus Christ, the subject of his ministry; their joy did not centre in the apostle, but had Christ for its object, whose person, righteousness, and salvation were held forth by him to their view and comfort.

Notes

Karpos ergou, “fruit of work”, is Henry’s transliteration of the Greek; operæ pretium, Latin, “worth the labour”.
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Sources & sigla

Excerpts keep their writers’ wording. ☞ marks the editor’s voice. A siglum opens its source at any point in the passage.

EA: English Annotations · 1645
The Westminster Assembly's committee of annotators, Annotations upon all the books of the Old and New Testament. First edition (London, 1645), EEBO-TCP A36467. Source text
P: Poole · 1685
Richard Adams, Matthew Poole's Annotations (Philippians and Colossians; Calamy, Account, 1713). Annotations upon the Holy Bible, vol. II (London, 1685), EEBO-TCP A55368. Source text
H: Henry (W. Harris) · 1710s
William Harris, Matthew Henry's Exposition of the Old and New Testament (vol. 6, completed after Henry's death). lyteword mhenry-complete Markdown (CC0). Source text
G: Gill · 1746–48
John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament. Good Books Free digital edition, checked against scans. Source text

Scripture: King James Version (1769). About this text and its editorial conventions

The commentators, introduced

Texts public domain · notes © 2026. The King James Version and the four commentaries are in the public domain in the United States. The selection and arrangement of the excerpts, their light modernization, the passage summaries, the introductions, the editor’s notes and the footnotes are © 2026 Baptist Seminarian; all rights in the new material reserved.