1.
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Verse 1
Timotheus. Timothy must have been well known to the Philippians, as he accompanied Paul in both of his visits to the city mentioned in the Acts. (Acts 16:1-3,Acts 16:12,Acts 16:20:4,Acts 16:6.)--Bishops. The word in the original means overseers. See Acts 20:28, where it is so translated; and in this last case the same persons are called elders, a few verses above. (Philippians 1:17.)--Deacons. The deacons were originally appointed to attend to certain secular concerns. (Acts 6:1-7:) Whether the term here denotes an office of a similar nature is uncertain. Great importance has been sometimes attached to these incidental allusions to the internal economy of the early church; but it is impossible to deduce my well-defined system from them, conformed to modern ideas. There is reason to believe that the arrangements made by the early churches were not reduced to any formal and uniform system.
2.
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3.
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4.
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5.
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Verse 6
Until the day of Jesus Christ; the day of his final coming.
7.
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Verse 7
In my bonds; referring to his confinement as a prisoner at Rome.--In the defence and confirmation of the gospel; in my efforts to defend and establish it.--Partakers of my grace. The meaning seems to be that, in all the scenes through which he had to pass in the exercise of his ministry, they were present to his thoughts, and spiritually united with him.
8.
For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
Verse 8
In the bowels of Jesus Christ; in Christian affection.
9.
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10.
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
11.
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
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;
Verse 12
The things which happened unto me; his apprehension at Jerusalem, and his being conducted, as a prisoner, to Rome, as narrated in the Acts 28:11-16.
13.
So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
Verse 13
My bonds in Christ are manifest; that is, it is known that my imprisonment is on account of my testimony in behalf of the gospel.--The palace; the pretorium; the quarters, perhaps, of the officer mentioned in Acts 28:16, as the captain of the guard.
14.
And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Verse 14
Waxing confident; encouraged, perhaps, by Paul's fortitude and constancy.
15.
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16.
The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17.
But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18.
What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19.
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Verse 19
And the supply; that is, through the supply of that Spirit to him.
20.
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, 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.
21.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Verse 21
Is Christ; is to be wholly devoted to Christ.
22.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
23.
For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
24.
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
Verse 24
In the flesh; in the body.
25.
And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
Verse 25
For your furtherance and joy of faith; to promote your advancement and happiness in faith.
26.
That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
27.
Only let your conversation 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;
Verse 27
Your conversation; your life and conduct.
28.
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
Verse 28
Which is to them; that is, their hostility is to them, &c.
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;
Verse 29
In the behalf of Christ; for the sake of Christ.
30.
Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
Verse 30
Which ye saw in me; referring to the persecutions which he endured when he was at Philippi. See Acts 16:9-40