NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
24 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Philippians 1:17 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
16 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.
18 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me.
28 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
The others, now that I'm out of the picture, are merely greedy, hoping to get something out of it for themselves. Their motives are bad. They see me as their competition, and so the worse it goes for me, the better—they think—for them.
43 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.
21 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
24 words
KJV
16 words
ESV
18 words
NLT
28 words
MSG
43 words
NASB
21 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Philippians 1:17?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Philippians 1:17 in 6 translations: New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, The Message, New American Standard Bible. Each uses a different translation philosophy — from word-for-word (KJV, ESV, NASB) to thought-for-thought (NIV, NLT) to paraphrase (MSG).
Which translation of Philippians 1:17 is best?
No single translation is "best" — it depends on your purpose. For deep study, use the ESV or NASB (word-for-word). For devotional reading, the NIV balances accuracy and readability. The NLT and MSG are excellent for understanding the general meaning in modern English. Comparing multiple translations helps grasp the full richness of the text.
What is the difference between literal and dynamic Bible translations?
Literal (formal equivalence) translations like KJV, ESV, and NASB translate word-for-word from the original Hebrew/Greek. Dynamic equivalence translations like NIV and NLT translate thought-for-thought for clarity. The MSG is a paraphrase that captures the spirit in contemporary language. Each approach has strengths — that's why comparing translations is valuable.