The Book of Philippians

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Greetings and Thanks from Paul and Timothy

1. Paul and Timothy, slaves of Jesus the Anointed, to all the saints in Jesus the Anointed who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons,
2. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Anointed Lord Jesus.
3. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4. (always in every prayer of mine for all of you) making the prayer with joy
5. on account of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now;
6. *convinced of this very thing: that the One who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus the Anointed.
7. Accordingly, it’s right for me to feel this concerning all of you, because I have you in my heart.  All of you are fellow partakers of grace with me, in both my bonds and in the verbal defense and confirmation of the gospel.
8. For God is my witness of how I long for all of you in the affection of Jesus the Anointed.
9. And I pray this: that your ^love might overflow still more and more in true knowledge and all discernment,
10. for you to test and prove genuine the excellent things so you might be sincerely pure¹“sincerely pure” is one word in Greek. It comes from two other Greek words, the first meaning the shining of the sun, the second to judge.  Together, it means to be judged righteous or pure and sincere after being see in the full light, with the implication of being thoroughly examined and still found pure. and blameless until the day of the Anointed,
11. being *filled with the fruit of righteousness through Jesus the Anointed, to God’s glory and praise.

Advancing the Gospel

12. But brothers, I want you to know that the things which happened to me have come about for more advancement of the gospel,
13. for my bonds in the Anointed to become obvious in the whole Praetorium,²“Praetorium” could refer to either the governor’s residence or the camp of the Roman military.  Sometimes it is applied the military men who guard the governor’s residence, and in this sense could be translated “palace guard”. and to all the rest.
14. And *trusting in the Lord because of my bonds, most of the brothers more abundantly dare to speak the word [of God] fearlessly.
15. And indeed, some proclaim the Anointed because of envy and strife, but also some because of goodwill.
16. Indeed, the men of goodwill proclaim out of ^love, *knowing that I’m appointed to the verbal defense of the gospel.
17. But the other men proclaim the Anointed out of selfish ambition; not out of pure motives, but expecting to raise the affliction of my bonds.
18. For why does that matter?  Except that in every way – whether because of pretext or truth – the Anointed is proclaimed, and I rejoice in this; yes, and I will rejoice!
19. For I have known that this will result in my deliverance through your prayer and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus the Anointed,
20. according to the eager expectation and my sure hope that I will be ashamed in nothing.  But in all boldness – as always and also now – the Anointed will be magnified in my body; whether through life or through death.
21. For to me, to live is the Anointed and to die is gain.
22. But if I’m to live in flesh, this allows my fruitful work.  And which will I choose?  I don’t know.
23. And I’m hard-pressed by the two, having a longing to depart and be with the Anointed, for that’s very much better.
24. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
25. And being *confident of this, I have known that I will remain and stay with all of you for your advancement and joy in the faith,
26. so your boast in me might overflow in Jesus the Anointed through my coming to you again.
27. Only behave as heavenly citizens³“behave as… …citizens” is one word in Greek, which means to behave like a citizen ought to by obeying the laws and conducting yourself accordingly. worthy of the gospel of the Anointed, so whether having come and having seen you or being absent, I might hear about you; that you stand firm in one spirit, striving together as one soul in the faith of the gospel,
28. and without being terrified in anything by the men opposing you, which is a sign of their destruction but is salvation to you.  And this is from God,
29. because for the sake of the Anointed, it was granted to you not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
30. having the same struggle such as you saw in me, and now hear of in me.

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Unity and the Anointed’s Attitude

1. Therefore, if there’s any encouragement in the Anointed, if any ^loving comfort, if any partnership of the Spirit, if any affections and compassions,
2. fulfill my joy: so you might have the same understanding; having the same ^love, united in your souls with one understanding.
3. Doing nothing from selfish ambition nor from baseless pride, but from humility, esteeming one another far more than yourselves;
4. each not only considering their own interests, but also each others’.
5. Have this understanding in you which was also in Jesus the Anointed:
6. Who, being in the form of God, didn’t consider being equal with God something to be grasped,
7. but emptied Himself; having taken the form of a slave and having come in the likeness of men.
8. And having been found as a man in form, He humbled Himself by having become obedient even to death, and even death on a cross.
9. Therefore, God also exceedingly exalted Him and graced Him with the name above every name,
10. so at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow,¹quotation/allusion to Isaiah 45:23 in the heavens and on the earth and under the earth,
11. and every tongue confess that Jesus the Anointed is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Obedient and blameless

12. So then my beloved, just as you always obeyed – not only as in my presence, but now much more in my absence – work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
13. For God is the One working in you, for you to both desire and to work for His good pleasure.
14. Do all things without grumbling and disputing,
15. so you might become blameless and pure children of God; unblemished in the midst of a crooked and *perverted generation among whom you shine like lights in the world,
16. holding fast to the word of life, so my boast on the day of the Anointed might be that I didn’t run in vain and didn’t exhaust myself working in vain.
17. But even if I’m poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and ministry of your faith, I’m glad and rejoice with all of you.
18. And you also do the same; be glad and rejoice with me.

Sending Timothy

19. Now, I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so I also might be encouraged by knowing the news concerning you,
20. for I have no one like-minded who will genuinely care for the matters concerning you.
21. For all seek their own interests, not the interests of Jesus the Anointed.
22. But you know his proven worth, that like a father with a child he served with me in the gospel.
23. Therefore, I indeed hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see to the things which concern me.
24. And I’m *confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.

Commending Epaphroditus

25. Now, I thought it necessary to send Epaphroditus back²“back” Philippians 4:18 makes it clear that the church at Philippi sent Epaphroditus to Paul with gifts, and thus he was sending him back.  This context would’ve been obvious to the original readers and adds significant clarity to the next few verses, so was included. to you (my brother, and fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and a minister in my need)
26. since he was longing [to see] all of you and distressed because you heard that he was sick.
27. For he was also sick almost to death, but God had mercy on him.  And not only on him, but also on me so I wouldn’t have grief upon grief.
28. Therefore I sent him more eagerly, so having seen him again you might rejoice and I might be less grieved.
29. Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy, and hold such men in honor
30. because he even came near to death for the work of the Anointed, having disregarded his life so he might fill up your deficit towards my ministry.

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Gain and Loss in the Gospel

1. Finally my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.  Indeed, it’s not irksome for me to write the same things to you, but it’s without danger¹“without danger” is one word in Greek.  It comes from two words, the first is a negative prefix, the second means to topple or fall. Thus it means “not falling”, with the connotation of being safe/secure (no danger) because of a secure footing or foundation. to you.
2. Beware of the dogs.  Beware of the wicked workmen.  Beware of the mutilation of circumcision.
3. For we are the true circumcision; the men worshipping in God’s Spirit and boasting in Jesus the Anointed and not being *confident in the flesh,
4. although I have confidence even in the flesh.  If some other man thinks to be *confident in the flesh, I could more.
5. Circumcised the eighth day, from the nation of Israel (the tribe of Benjamin) a Hebrew of Hebrews. Regarding the law: a Pharisee.
6. Regarding zeal: persecuting the church.  Regarding righteousness by the law, having become blameless.
7. But whatever things were my gain, I *consider these things loss because of the Anointed.
8. But more, I therefore also truly consider all things to be a loss because of the surpassing knowledge of my Lord Jesus the Anointed, because of whom I lost all things and consider them refuse²“refuse” refers to all kinds of waste that was thrown to dogs (which were reviled in that culture).  That included scraps of garbage, leftovers, muck, and even dung in some cases. so I might gain the Anointed,
9. and might be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but righteousness through faith in the Anointed; the righteousness from God on the basis of faith,
10. to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the partnership in His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11. so somehow I might attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12. Not that I already received it, or already have been perfected.  But I pursue it so I might seize it, for that’s why I was also seized by Jesus the Anointed.
13. Brothers, I don’t consider myself to have seized it.  But one thing I indeed do, forgetting the things behind and reaching toward the things ahead,
14. I pursue the goal towards the prize of the upward calling of God in Jesus the Anointed.
15. Therefore, as many as are mature should have this opinion.  And if you have a different opinion in anything, God will reveal this to you also.
16. Nevertheless, in what we attained, we are to walk in the same [standard, and to have the same opinion.]
17. Brothers, become fellow imitators of me and observe the men walking in this way, just as you have an example in us.
18. For many men – of whom I often was telling you, and even now weeping I say – many men walk as enemies of the cross of the Anointed,
19. men whose end is utter ruin, whose God is the belly and whose glory is in their shame; the men setting their minds on earthly things.
20. For our citizenship already exists in the heavens, from which we also eagerly await a savior; the Anointed Lord Jesus,
21. who will transform our humble body into conformity with His glorious body by the effective power which even enables Him to submit all things to Himself.

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Stand Firm in the Lord

1. So then my beloved and longed-for brothers – my joy and crown – stand firm in the Lord this way beloved.
2. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to have the same mind in the Lord.
3. Yes, I also ask you my true colleague:¹“colleague” is more literally “yokefellow”, which refers to people who are bound together (yoked together) in marriage, business, office, or other endeavor.  This word is only used here in the Bible, and could possibly be a proper name. help reconcile these women who labored together in the gospel with me, and with Clement, and with the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the Book of Life.
4. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice!
5. Let your gentle fairness²“gentle fairness” is one word in Greek.  It refers to a sense of justice and fairness that isn’t strict in the sense of the letter of the law, but it conforms to the spirit of the law instead.  Thus, it’s “gentle” in its application. be known by all men.  The Lord is near.
6. Be anxious about nothing; but let your requests be made known to God in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving,
7. and the peace of God surpassing all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus the Anointed.
8. Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is venerable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if anything is morally upright and if anything is praiseworthy – meditate on these things.
9. What you also learned, and received, and heard, and saw in me, practice these things; and the God of peace will be with you.

The Philippians’ Gift

10. Now, I greatly rejoiced in the Lord that now at last you revived your concern for me.  And you were being concerned about that, but were lacking an opportunity to show it.
11. Not that I speak from needful poverty, for I learned to be content³“content” is literally “self-sufficient”, in the sense of being internally self-sufficient by not allowing external forces to shake the internal disposition. in whatever situation I am in.
12. I also have known how to be humble, and I have known how to overflow.  In everything and in all things, I also have been instructed in the secret to be full and to hunger; and to overflow and to be in need;
13. I have strength in all things through the One strengthening me.
14. Nevertheless, you did well by having partnered in my affliction.
15. And also, you Philippians *know that in the beginning of the gospel (when I departed from Macedonia) not one church partnered with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone.
16. For even in Thessalonica, both once and even twice you sent provisions for my need.
17. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit multiplying into your account.
18. But I have all things and overflow.  I have been filled, having welcomed from Epaphroditus the gifts from you: a sweet, fragrant smell; an acceptable sacrifice which is pleasing to God.
19. And my God will supply everything you need according to His richness in glory through Jesus the Anointed.
20. Now, to our God and Father be the glory through the ages of the ages,⁴“through the ages of the ages” is literal, often translated “forever and ever”.  However, the traditional interpretation lacks the past element of a more literal translation.  Further, the Greek word often translated “forever” here (αἰών, “aion”) literally means “age”, meaning a time span with a beginning and an end.  It’s also used in Matthew 24:3 “what are the signs of your coming and the culmination (end) of the age?” Amen.
21. Greet every saint in Jesus the Anointed.  The brothers with me greet you.
22. All the saints greet you, but especially those from Caesar’s household.
23. The grace of the Anointed Lord Jesus be with your spirit.  [Amen]

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