Book of Philippians One of the four prison Epistles.
	Home / Bible / NT-letters / Philippians

---

Author:	--- Background & Theme ---	dated at:
Apostle Paul (v 1:1), wrote while he was under house arrest in Rome (v 1:13), to the church at Philippi.	Philippi was a city of Macedonia, about nine miles away from the seaport. In the second century Philippi became part of the Roman province, and was later conquered in the fourth century by Philip the II, the father of Alexander the Great. This Epistle focuses on the major theme of pursuing spiritual growth and Christ likeness. The letter also addresses the apostle Paul's spiritual desire and passion for the things of God. Even though Paul writes this when he was under Roman house arrest, the tone of the letter is very joyful. four chapters	between 60-61 AD.

Verse by verse, account of the book of Philippians.

Philippians: chapter 1

¹Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,

To all the saints in Christ, together with the overseers and ministers, who are in Philippi. ²Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³Upon remembrance of you, I thank my God. ⁴Always in every prayer of mine, I make request for you with all joy. ⁵Thanking God, for your fellowship in the gospel, from the first day until now. ⁶For we are confident, that He who has started a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. ⁷It is right for me to think this of all of you, for you are in my heart, both in my chains, in my defense and in the confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers with me of God's grace. ⁸For God knows, how I have longed for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. ⁹And this I pray, that your love may abound even more, in knowledge and all discernment. ¹⁰That you may approve the things that are good and that you may be sincere and without offense, until the day of Jesus Christ. ¹¹Abounding in and being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are of Jesus Christ, to the glory and the praise of God.

¹²But, I want you to know brothers, that what has happened to me has actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. ¹³To the entire palace guard and all here, it has become evident that my chains are because of my conviction in Christ. ¹⁴Now most of the brothers, in the Lord, have now a greater confidence to speak the Word of the Lord with boldness and without fear, because of my chains. ¹⁵Some indeed preach Christ out of mockery, envy or strife. ¹⁶They preach Christ out of selfish ambition, hoping to add affliction to my chains. ¹⁷While others preach Christ out of good will and love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁸Because of this, whether it be in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached and thus I rejoice.

¹⁹Through your prayers and the working of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, I am assured that this will turn out for my deliverance. ²⁰It is my desire, that in nothing shall I be ashamed, but with all boldness Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²²If I continue to live on in the flesh, there will be further opportunities to win more for Christ, yet what shall I choose? ²³For I am pressed between the two, desiring to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. ²⁴Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. ²⁵And I am confident that I shall continue with you all, for your benefit and joy in the faith. ²⁶That your rejoicing for me may abound in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

²⁷Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come to you or not, that I may hear of a good report of you. Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. ²⁸Not in any way terrified by your adversaries, for to them your steadfastness is a sign of their own damnation, but to you, it is proof of your salvation and that is from God. ²⁹To you it has been granted, not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for His sake. ³⁰For you are engaged in the same conflict that I was in and is still within me.

Philippians: chapter 2

¹If there be any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tenderness and mercy. ²Then fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one soul and one mind. ³Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or arrogance, but in humbleness esteem others better that yourself. ⁴Looking out not only for your own interests but also for the interests of others.

⁵Let this same attitude and humble mind be in each of you, which was in Christ Jesus. ⁶Who being one with God and in the image of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. ⁷For Christ emptied Himself and made Himself of no reputation, taking on the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of a man. ⁸And being in the appearance of a man, Christ humbled Himself and was obedient even to the death on the cross. ⁹For this reason, God has also highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name. ¹⁰That at the name of Jesus every knee must bow, those in heaven, those on the earth and those under the earth. ¹¹That every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

¹²Therefore, as you have always obeyed, not only in my presents but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For God is at work in you, to have you do His will and for His good pleasure. ¹⁴Do all things without complaining or disputing. ¹⁵That you may shine as lights in the world, having become blameless and harmless children of God, within a crooked and perverse, (morally corrupt) generation. ¹⁶Holding fast to the word of life, so that I can rejoice in Christ knowing that my labor has not been in vain. ¹⁷For even if I am being poured out as a drink offering, as a sacrifice and service to your faith, I still rejoice with you all. ¹⁸Even as you, for this same reason rejoice with me.

¹⁹However, I trust in the Lord Jesus, that I will be able to send Timothy to you shortly, that I may be encouraged through knowing your current welfare. ²⁰For I have no one who is like Timothy, who will sincerely care for you. ²¹For all the rest seek to advance their own cause and not the things of Christ Jesus. ²²You know Timothy's proven character, that we served together, much like father and son. ²³Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how my case is going. ²⁴And I trust in the Lord that I will also come to you shortly.

²⁵Yet I consider it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and soldier in the Lord. Your messenger and the one sent to minister to my need. ²⁶He has longed to come to you and was distressed because you had heard that he was very sick. ²⁷Yes, he was sick and nearly unto death, but God had mercy on him and on me, lest I be in great sorrow. ²⁸Therefore, I will eagerly send him to you, so that when you see him, you may rejoice and I will be less sorrowful. ²⁹Receive him with gladness in the Lord, holding such men in esteem. ³⁰For because of the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his own life to supply what was lacking in your service to me.

Philippians: chapter 3

¹Finally my brothers, rejoice in the Lord, writing this again to you is not tiresome for me, but is a blessing for you. ²Beware of the religious Judaizers, legalist men who are corrupt and work evil and those who preach circumcision, (requirements of the law). ³For those who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh, these are of the true circumcision. ⁴Though I have grounds to boast in my flesh, if anyone thinks he has confidence in his flesh, I have more. ⁵Circumcised the eighth day, an Israelite, of the tribe of Benjamin, a choice Hebrew concerning the law, a Pharisee. ⁶Consumed with zeal, I persecuted the church, concerning the things of the law, I was found blameless. ⁷But those things that were counted gain to me, I now count them as loss, because of Christ. ⁸Yet I even count all things as loss as compared to the excellence and knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them now to be as dung, that I may gain Christ. ⁹That I may be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, (that is through the law), but the righteousness that is from God through faith in Christ. ¹⁰That I may know Him, (recognizing the wonders of His person), and the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. ¹¹That I may also attain to the resurrection from the dead.

¹²Not to say that I have already attained this or am I perfect, but I press on to the prize, just as Christ Jesus also laid hold of me and made me His own. ¹³Brothers, I do not count myself to have appended, but this I do, forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to the things that are ahead. ¹⁴I press forward to the goal for the prize, of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Therefore, let as many who are mature in Christ have this in mind. For if anyone is otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to him. ¹⁶Yet, let us walk in harmony, in one accord and be mindful of what we have already attained,

¹⁷Brethren, follow my example on this and observe the other brothers who live after the pattern we have set for you. ¹⁸For many walk as I have told you so often and now I tell you again, even weeping, they are enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹Their end is destruction, their god is their belly and their glory is their shame, for they have set their mind on earthy things. ²⁰For our citizenship is in heaven and for this purpose we eagerly await for our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. ²¹Who will transform our bodies of humiliation into His glorious image, according to His great working, for He is able to subdue all things to Himself.

Philippians: chapter 4

¹Brothers, I long for you and love you, you are my joy and reward, so stand fast in the Lord. ²I implore, the two women Euodia and Syntyche to be of like mind in the Lord. ³I also urge the true companion of the church, to help these women who labored with me in the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are all written in the book of life. ⁴Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice. ⁵Let your gentleness be known to all men, for the Lord is near to all. ⁶Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, that surpasses earthy knowledge will then guard your heart and minds through Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally brothers, fix your mind on things that are, true, noble, just, pure, lovely and of good report. If there is virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. ⁹The things that you learned and received from me, heard and saw in me, these things do, so that the God of peace may be with you.

¹⁰I am grateful and rejoice in the Lord that your care for my welfare has once again flourished, for in the past even though you cared, you lacked opportunity. ¹¹Not that I speak according to any need, for I have learned to be content in whatever state I am in. ¹²I know both how to live in humble circumstances and to live in abundance and have knowledge of both want and abundance. ¹³I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

¹⁴But you have done well to share in my distress. ¹⁵You do know that, at the start of my journey, as I departed from Macedonia, only the Philippian church, (your church) partnered with me. ¹⁶Even when I moved on to Thessalonica, you also sent aid to me there. ¹⁷Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. ¹⁸By the gift that you sent me through Epaphroditus, I am amply supplied. This is to me a sweet smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice well pleasing to God. ¹⁹For my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. ²⁰Now may our God and Father be glorified forever and ever, Amen.

²¹Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers here with me also greet you ²²and all the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household.

²³The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen.