Philippians 1:26
ESV
so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
NIV
so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
NASB
so that your pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again.
CSB
so that, because of my coming to you again, your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound.
NLT
And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.
KJV
That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
NKJV
that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.
What does Philippians 1:26 mean?
Paul anticipates seeing the Philippian believers again, as a moment of great joy. That would be a victory well worth praising God for. If Paul did return to Philippi after this first Roman imprisonment, they would certainly have given glory to Christ Jesus. Prior to this letter, the Philippian believers were probably uncertain whether or not Paul would ever live to leave Rome. In this letter, Paul believes he will soon be released and later visit them. This would be a miraculous answer to prayer.At this point, Paul has transitioned from reassuring his readers that his suffering is for a good cause, to his confidence that he will survive, to an encouraging hope for reunion. From the Pastoral Epistles, it is clear Paul did travel east again near the area of Philippi. However, Philippi is not mentioned in these later writings as one of his destinations. In addition to Philippi, Paul expected to once again visit Philemon in the city of Colossae (Philemon 1:22).
Philippians 1:19–30 shows Paul reflecting on two competing desires. On one hand, a believer wants to serve God and bring others to Christ through their life. On the other hand, a Christian yearns to leave suffering behind—to be with God in eternity. Paul concludes that it's better to live until God calls him home, so he can serve his fellow men. Paul also encourages the Philippians with his conviction that he will be released to see them again. His experiences, good or bad, are all adding to the glory of Jesus Christ.
In chapter 1, Paul thanks the Philippian believers for supporting his ministry. Even when Paul was jailed, or persecuted, they had been generous and loyal. Paul encourages these Christians by explaining that all of his suffering has been for a good cause. Even better, these attempts to persecute Paul have actually caused the gospel to spread. For this, Paul is grateful. He fully expects to be released, and to see the believers of Philippi again.
