1:3 I⁵ thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all⁶ making request with joy,

1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;⁷

1:6 Being confident of this very thing,⁸ that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

1:7 Even as it is meet for me to think⁹ this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation¹⁰ of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.¹¹

1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

5. Observe "Paul and Timothy" followed immediately by "I," in confirmation of the remarks in the note on 1Thessalonians 1:2.

6. The constant repetition of "all" in connection with "you" in this Epistle is remarkable. It seems as if St. Paul implied. that he (at least) would not recognize any divisions among them. See above.

7. Not "in the Gospel" (A.V.).

8. Accordingly compare 2Corinthians 2:3, and Galatians 2:10

9. Mindful, &c. This refers to the preceding mention of his prayers for them.

10. St. Paul defended his doctrine by his words, and confirmed it by his life.

11. The grace or gift bestowed on St. Paul. and also on the Philippians, was the power of confirming the Gospel by their sufferings:the corresponding verb is used in v. 29.

1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent;¹² that ye may be sincere and without offense¹³ till the day of Christ.

1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

12. Compare Romans 2:18

13. "Without offence" seems used here intransitively; at 1Corinthians 10:32, the same word if active.

1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

1:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace,¹⁴ and in all other places;¹⁵

1:14 And many¹⁶ of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

1:15 Some indeed preach Christ¹⁷ even of envy and strife;¹⁸ and some also of¹⁹ good will:

1:16 The one preach Christ of contention,²⁰ not sincerely, supposing to add²¹ affliction to my bonds:

1:17 But the other of love,²² knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.

1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

1:19 For I know that this²³ shall turn to my salvation²⁴ through your prayer, and the supply²⁵ of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed,²⁶ but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

1:22 But if I live²⁷ in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor:yet what I shall choose I wot not.

1:23 For²⁸ I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

1:24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

1:25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide²⁹ and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;

1:26 That your rejoicing³⁰ may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

14. Proetorium. For the explanation of this, see above, p. 780. We have seen that St. Paul was committed to the custody of the Proefectus Proetorio, and guarded by different Praetorian soldiers, who relieved one another. Hence his condition would be soon known throughout the Praetorian quarters.

15. This expression is very obscure; it may mean either to the Proetorian soldiers who guard me, and to all the rest of those who visit me; or to all the rest of the Proetorian Guards. The latter view gives the best sense.

16. "Most," not "many" (A.V.).

17. "Christ" has the article, which perhaps may indicate that they were Jews, who proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. The verb in v. 15 denotes to proclaim (as a herald); that in v. 17, to declare tidings of (as a messenger).

18. These were probably Judaizers.

19. We can by no means assent to Professor Jowett’s proposal to translate the preposition here "amid." See his note on Galatians 4:13.

20. The order of verses 16 and 17 (as given in the best MSS.) is transposed in the Received Text.

21. See note on Romans 2:8.

22. Such is the reading of the best MSS. The Judaizers probably, by professing to teach the true version of Christianity, and accusing Paul of teaching a false and anti-national doctrine, excited odium against him among the Christians of Jewish birth at Rome .

23. These things, viz. the sufferings resulting from the conduct of these Judaizers.

24. The words are quoted verbatim from Job. 13:16 (LXX.). Yet perhaps St. Paul did not so much deliberately quote them, as use an expression which floated in his memory.

25. The words literally applied would mean the supplying of all needs [of the chorus] by the Choregus. So the words here mean the supplying of all needs [of the Christian] by the Spirit . Compare Ephesians 4:16, and Colossians 2:19.

26. St. Paul was confident that his faith and hope would not fail him in the day of trial. Compare Romans v. 5, "our hope cannot shame us." He was looking forward to his final hearing, as we have already seen, page 785.

27. We punctuate this very difficult verse so that the meaning is literally, but whether this life in the flesh (compare this mortal, 1Corinthians 15:54, and my present life in the flesh , Galatians 2:20) be my labor’s fruit, and what I shall choose, I know not. The A.V. assumes an ellipsis, and gives no intelligible meaning to fruit of my labor. On the other hand, De Wette’s translation, if life in the flesh, — if this be my labor’s fruit, what I shall choose I know not, causes a redundancy, and is otherwise objectionable. Beza’s translation, "an vero vivere in carne mihi operae pretium sit, et quid eligam ignoro," comes nearest to that which we adopt.

28. The MSS. read "but." and not "far," here.

29. Shall remain, i.e. alive.

30. "Whose boasting is in Christ." Compare 3:3.

1:27 Only let your conversation³¹ be as it becometh the gospel of Christ:that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

1:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries:³² which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

1:30 Having the same conflict which ye saw³³ in me, and now hear to be in me.

31. See note on Philippians 3:20.

32. Compare "many adversaries," — 1Corinthians 16:9.

33. They had seen him sent to prison, Acts 16:23.

2:1 If there be therefore any consolation¹ in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

2:2 Fulfil ye my joy,² that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

2:3 Let nothing be done through strife³ or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

1. The first word means to entreat, see Matthew 18:32; the second, to urge by persuasion or entreaty , see 1Thessalonians 2:11.

2. The extreme earnestness of this exhortation to unity shows that the Philippians were guilty of dissension; perhaps Euodia and Syntyche, whose opposition to each other is mentioned Philippians 4:2, had partisans who shared their quarrel.

3. See above, Philippians 1:17.

2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery⁴ to be equal with God:

2:7 But made ⁵ himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,⁶ and was made⁷ in the likeness of men:

2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient⁸ unto death, even the death of the cross.

2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a⁹ name which is above every name:

2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,¹⁰ of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

4. This very difficult expression admits of the translation adopted in the Authorized Version; from which, therefore, we have not thought it right to deviate. The majority of modern interpreters, however, take it as meaning to reckon a thing as a booty, to look on a thing as a robber would look on spoil. It is a considerable (though not a fatal) objection to this view, that it makes a word denoting the act of seizing identical with one denoting the thing seized. The Authorized Version is free from this objection; but it is liable to the charge of rendering the connection with the following verse less natural than the other interpretation. If the latter be correct, the translation would be, He thought not equality with God a thing to be seized upon; i.e. though, essentially, even while on earth, He was in the form of God, yet He did not think fit to claim equality with God until He had accomplished His mission.

5. Literally, emptied Himself.

6. The likeness of man was the form of a slave to Him, contrasted with the form of God which essentially belonged to Him.

7. Literally, having become in the likeness, which in English is expressed by being changed into the likeness.

8. He "showed obedience" to the laws of human society, to His parents, and to the civil magistrate; and carried that self-humiliating obedience even to the point of submitting to death, when He might have summoned "twelve legions of angels" to His rescue.

9. The best MSS. have "the name."

10. Isaiah 45:23 (LXX.), quoted Romans 14:11. It is strange that this verse should often have been quoted as commanding the practice of bowing the head at the name of Jesus; a practice most proper in itself, but not here referred to:what it really prescribes is kneeling in adoration of Him.

2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.¹¹

2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will¹² and to do of his good pleasure.

2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation,¹³ among whom ye shine as lights¹⁴ in the world;

2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.

11. We have already remarked that with anxiety and self-distrust is a nearer representation of this Pauline phrase than the literal English, as appears by the use of the same phrase 1Corinthians 2:3; 2Corinthians 7:15; Ephesians 6:5. The "fear" is a fear of failure, the "trembling" an eager anxiety.

12. This phrase has perplexed the interpreters, because they have all joined it with the preceding words. We put a stop after the preceding verb, and take the noun in the same sense as at Philippians 1:15 above, and Luke 2:14. It is strange that so clear and simple a construction, involving no alteration in the text, should not have been before suggested.

Since the above was first published, it has been objected that the position of the Greek article negatives the above rendering; because the insertion of the article (where it is generally omitted) between a preposition and an abstract noun, gives to the latter a reflective sense; so that the phrase would mean "your goodwill," not good will in the abstract. This grammatical statement is not universally true; but even if the objection were valid, it would not negative the construction proposed, nor materially alter the meaning. The translation would then stand:— "Do all things for the sake of maintaining your mutual good will."

[It seems very doubtful whether this view it tenable:and the ordinary rendering gives a very forcible sense. — H.]

13. Deuteronomy 32:5 (LXX.). The preceding "without rebuke" calls up a corresponding word in the Greek context of the LXX.

14. Compare Genesis 1:14 (LXX)

2:17 Yea,¹⁵ and if I be offered¹⁶ upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

2:18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

2:19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you,¹⁷ that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.

2:20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

2:21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.

2:22 But ye know¹⁸ the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

2:23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.

2:24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.

15. This but seems to connect what follows with Philippians 1:25, 26.

16. Literally, I be poured forth. The metaphor is probably from the Jewish drink-offerings (Numbers 28:7) rather than from the Heathen libations. The Heathen converts are spoken of as a sacrifice offered up by St. Paul as the ministering priest, in Romans 15:16.

17. The Greek construction is the same as in 1Corinthians 4:17.

18. Timothy had labored among them at the first. See Acts 16.

2:25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered¹⁹ to my wants.

2:26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

2:27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death:but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

2:28 I sent him therefore the²⁰ more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

2:29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:

2:30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding²¹ his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.²²

19. Minister. We have the corresponding abstract noun in Philippians 2:30.

20. The aorist used from the position of the reader, according to classical usage.

21. This is the meaning of the reading of the best MSS.

22. The same expression is used of the messengers of the Corinthian Church. 1Corinthians 16:17. The English reader must not understand the A.V. "lack of service" to convey a reproach. From this verse we learn that the illness of Epaphroditus was caused by soma casualty of his journey, or perhaps by over-fatigue.

3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you,¹ to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

3:2 Beware of dogs,² beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God³ in the spirit, and rejoice⁴ in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency⁵ of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:⁶

3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

1. Literally, to write the same things to you. St. Paul must here refer either to some previous Epistle to the Philippians (now lest), or to his former conversations with them.

2. The Judaizers are here described by three epithets:"the dogs," because of their uncleanness (of which that animal was the type; compare 2Peter 2:22); "the evil workmen" (not equivalent to "evil workers"), for the same reason that they are called "deceitful workmen" in 2Corinthians 11:13; and "the concision," to distinguish them from the true circumcision, the spiritual Israel.

3. We retain "God" here, with the Textus Receptus, and a minority of MSS., because of the analogy of Romans 1:9 (see note there). The true Christians are here described by contrast with the Judaizers, whose worship was the carnal worship of the Temple, whose boasting was in the law, and whose confidence was in the circumcision of their flesh.

4. Apparently alluding to Jeremiah 9:24, " He that boasteth let him boast in the Lord," which is quoted 1Corinthians 1:31 and 2Corinthians 10:7.

5. Literally, because of the supereminence of the knowledge of Christ, i.e. because the knowledge of Christ surpasses all things else.

6. Of God (i.e. which He bestows) on condition of faith. Compare Acts 3:16.

3:12 Not as though I had already attained,⁷ either were already perfect:but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I⁸ am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth⁹ unto those things which are before,

3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

7. "Won," i.e. "the prize" (v. 14). Compare 1Corinthians 9:24, "So run that ye may win." It is unfortunate that in A.V. this is translated by the same verb attain, which is used for another verb in the preceding verse, so as to make it seem to refer to that.

8. Our Lord had "laid hold on" Paul, in order to bring him to the attainment of "the prize of God’s heavenly calling." "Jesus" is omitted by the best MSS.

9. The image is that of the runner in a footrace, whose body is bent forwards in the direction towards which he runs. See beginning of Ch. 20.

3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect,¹⁰ be thus minded:and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained,¹¹ let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

10. The translation in A.V. (here and in v. 12) by the same word makes St. Paul seem to contradict himself. "Perfect" is the antithesis of "babe." Compare 1Corinthians 14:20.

11. The precept is the same given Romans 14:5. The words "think the same thing" are omitted in the best MSS.

3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often,¹² and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies¹³ of the cross of Christ:

3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly,¹⁴ and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

3:20 For our¹⁵ conversation¹⁶ is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:

3:21 Who shall change our vile¹⁷ body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

12. Literally, I used to tell you.

13. For the construction, compare 1John 2:25. The persons meant were men who led licentious lives (like the Corinthian freethinkers), and they are called "enemies of the cross" because the cross was the symbol of mortification.

14. Cf. Romans 16:18

15. On St. Paul’s use of "we" see note on 1Thessalonians 1:3. An objection has been made to translating it in the singular in this passage, on the ground that this seems to limit St. Paul’s expression of Christian hope and faith to himself; but a very little consideration will suffice to show the futility of such an objection. Where St. Paul speaks of his hopes and faith as a Christian, his words are necessarily applicable to other Christians as well as to himself. And, in fact, some of the passages to which Christians in general have ever turned with the most fervent sympathy, and which they have most undoubtingly appropriated, are those very passages where St. Paul uses the 'singular:' as, for example, "for me," Galatians 2:20.

16. This noun must not be translated citizenship (as has been proposed), which would be a different word (cf. Acts 22:28). The corresponding verb means to perform the functions of civil life, and is used simply for to live; see Acts 23:1, and Philippians 1:27. Hence the noun means the tenor of life. It should be also observed that the verb here means more than simply "is," though it is difficult here to express the shade of difference in English.

17. Literally, the body of my humiliation.

4:1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

4:2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche,¹ that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow,² help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement³ also, and with other my fellowlaborers, whose names are in the book⁴ of life.

1. These were two women (the pronoun is feminine in v. 3, which is mistranslated in A.V.) who were at variance.

2. We have no means of knowing who was the person thus addressed. Apparently some eminent Christian at Philippi, to whom the Epistle was to be presented in the first instance. The old hypothesis (mentioned by Chrysostom), that the word is a proper name, is not without plausibility; "who art Syzygus in name and in fact," as a commentator says.

3. We learn from Origen (Comm . on John 1:29) that this Clemens (commonly called Clement) was the same who was afterwards Bishop of Rome, and who wrote the Epistles to the Corinthians which we have before referred to (p. 541). Ensebius quotes the following statement concerning him from Irenaeus:"In the third place after the Apostles the episcopal office was held by Clemens, who also saw the blessed Apostles, and lived with them." — Hist. Ecclesiastes v. 6. It appears from the present passage that he had formerly labored successfully at Philippi.

4. Compare "Book of the living," Psalm 69:28 (LXX.), and also Luke 10:20, and Hebrews 12:23.

4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway:and again⁵ I say, Rejoice.

4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The⁶ Lord is at hand.

4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep⁷ your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.⁸

4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do:and the God of peace shall be with you.

5. The verb is future. He refers to 3:1.

6. They are exhorted to be joyful under persecution, and show gentleness to their persecutors, because the Lord’s coming would soon deliver them from all their afflictions. Compare note on 1Corinthians 16:22.

7. Literally, garrison.

8. Literally, reckon these things in account. Compare 1Corinthians 13:5.

4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again;⁹ wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want:for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

4:12 I¹⁰ know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound:every where and in all things I am instructed¹¹ both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

4:13 I can do all things through Christ¹² which strengtheneth me.

4:14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.

4:15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia,¹³ no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

4:16 For even in Thessalonica¹⁴ ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

4:17 Not because I desire a gift:but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

4:18 But I have all, and abound:I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell,¹⁵ a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

4:19 But my God shall supply all your need¹⁶ according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

4:20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

9. The literal meaning is to put forth fresh shoots.

10. This "I" is emphatic.

11. Literally, "I have been initiated."

12. "Christ" is omitted in the best MSS For "strengthen," cf. Horn. 4:20

13. Compare 2Corinthians 11:9, and p. 338.

14. See p 284.

15. Genesis 8:21 (LXX) Compare also Leviticus 1:9 and Ephesians 5:2

16. The your is emphatic.

4:21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me¹⁷ greet you.

4:22 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s¹⁸ household.

4:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.¹⁹ Amen.

17. This brethren with me, distinguished from all the saints in the next verse, seems to denote St Paul’s special attendants, such as Aristarehus, Epaphras, Demas, Timothy, &c. Cf. Galatians 1:2.

18. These members of the Imperial household were probably slaves; so the same expression is used by Josephus (Ant. 18:5, 8). If St. Paul was at this time confined in the neighborhood of the Praetorian quarters attached to the palace, we can more readily account for the conversion of some of those who lived in the buildings immediately contiguous.

19. The majority of uncial MSS. read "spirit," and omit the "amen."