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Philippians 1:21Prison letter context (trad.)
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
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Interpretation

Paul urges a live is christ that is embodied in concrete decisions. Philippians 1:21: trace "live" and "christ". Give live is christ in what we refuse to say—turn hope into steady work.

Context

The setting is Philippians—epistle/letter, naming live is christ. Placed in ch. 1, the nearby lines set its tone. The nearby sentences supply the texture.

Authorship & Historical Background

Long‑standing tradition credits Philippians to Paul. Academic consensus for Philippians tends toward: widely regarded as Pauline (possibly composite).. Scholars commonly date Philippians AD 60–62. The setting is the Prison letter context (trad.) (epistle/letter). Apostolic Community is especially relevant in this line.

More details
Traditional:Paul
Modern scholarship:Authentic Pauline (possibly composite).
Date:AD 60–62
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Greek text is preserved in more than 5,800 manuscripts, exceeding other ancient writings in manuscript count. 2nd-3rd century papyri like P46, P66, P75 provide text roughly 100-150 years after composition. Major uncial codices (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, 4th century) contain complete or near-complete texts. The Byzantine text family represents the majority of later manuscripts. Textual variants exist but are mostly minor: word order, articles, spelling. No central Christian doctrine depends on any disputed text. Modern critical editions compare all manuscript families to determine the most probable original wording reading.
Sources & witness notes
SinaiticusVaticanusP46