Philippians 1:22

1:22 Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer:

Philippians 1:21

1:21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.

tn Grk “flesh.”

tn Grk “fruit of work”; the genitive ἔργου (ergou) is taken as an attributed genitive in which the head noun, καρπός (karpos), functions attributively (cf. ExSyn 89-91).

tn Grk “what I shall prefer.” The Greek verb αἱρέω (Jairew) could also mean “choose,” but in this context such a translation is problematic for it suggests that Paul could perhaps choose suicide (cf. L&N 30.86).

sn I don’t know what I prefer. Paul is here struggling with what would be most beneficial for both him and the church. He resolves this issue in vv. 24-25.