Philippians

1:1 Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the holy ones inside of Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, together with the overseers, that is, those with the watchcare of a shepherd [a] and servants [b]: 2 Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ.

a. This term does not denote ‘authority over’.

b. One who serves in administrative duties – literally “to dust properly”

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always, in every one of my requests for all of you, making my requests with joy 5 for the sake of your fellowship together with purpose into the gospel, from the first day until now. 6 I am persuaded with confidence in this, that the One who has already begun a good work inside of you, will complete and accomplish that work until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 Even as it is right for me to think this way about all of you, in that I hold you in my heart. All of you are fellow-partakers of grace together with me, both in my chains and in the defense and establishment of the gospel. 8 My God is indeed a witness of how I yearn affectionately for all of you inside of the deep emotions of Christ Jesus.

9 This I pray, that your love would abound yet more and more, would be over and above, and would overflow in acknowledgement and all perception 10 in order for you to prove that which carries all the way through, that you might be pure and without offense into the day of Christ, 11 being filled full with the fruit of just innocence and justice that is through Jesus Christ into the glory and praise of God.

12 I want you to know, brethren, that the things concerning me, have really come out into the advancement of the gospel, 13 such that my chains have become visible as inside of Christ to all the palace guard and to all the rest; 14 and many of the brothers and sisters, persuaded in the Lord by my chains, dare to speak the word of God fearlessly and frequently. 15 Some indeed are proclaiming Christ even through envy and contention, but some also through good-will. 16 The latter indeed proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I am placed and appointed for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former, however, are proclaiming Christ out of self-interest, not honestly, supposing to add affliction and pressure to my chains. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.

19 I am aware, then, that this will result in salvation for me from the chains through your supplication and the supply and support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my eager and focused expectation and hope that I would be dishonored or ashamed in nothing, but in all bold speaking, as always, so also now, that Christ will be magnified inside of my body, whether through life or through death. 21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is a profitable exchange. 22 If, however, I continue to live inside of the flesh, this is the fruit of labor for me. And what should I prefer? I do not know! 23 For I am pressed together out from the two, having eagerness to be released into and together with Christ, which is indeed very much better, 24 but to remain inside of the flesh is necessary for your sake. [c] 25 And having been persuaded of this, I am aware that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy of faith, 26 so that your boasting might abound inside of Christ Jesus inside of me through my presence again with you.

c. Contrast this strange statement of Paul’s, contrary to His gospel, against the powerful statement in Chapter 3:11-12, that Paul reaches forward to seize hold of the inability to die.

27 Only, conduct yourselves worthily of the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or remain absent, I might hear the things concerning you, that you are standing firm inside of one Spirit, with one soul striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not being frightened in anything by those opposing you, which is to them a proof of their loss of well-being; but to you of salvation, and this from God. 29 To you it has been favored for the sake of Christ, not only to believe into Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict that you saw in me and now hear of in me.


2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement inside of Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of Spirit, if any affections and compassions, 2 fulfill my joy by being of the same gut-level heart thinking, having the same love, being united in soul, sharing the same soul in the same heart thinking. 3 Do nothing according to rivalry or according to empty conceit, but in lowliness of mind esteem one another as better than yourself in full reciprocity, 4 each considering not just your own things, but also the things of each other.

5 Let this exact same gut-level manner of thinking [d] be inside of you that was inside of Christ Jesus, 6 who existing continuously and actively [e] inside of the form of God [that is, all here now and Personal in us], did not aggressively seize the gut assumption of being equal with God. 7 Rather, having already willingly taken hold of the form of a slave, Himself ekenosen, that is, He Himself called an invisible God into visibility, becoming the same as humans. 8  And having been found in outward appearance as a human, He humbled Himself, actively becoming hearing-under [f] all the way to death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore, also, God highly exalted Him and favored Him with the name above every name, 10 that inside of the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, every heavenly knee, every earthly knee, and every under-earthly knee and 11 every tongue should speak the same thing, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ penetrating into the glory of God the Father.

d. The story you tell yourself about yourself.

e. As human, our pattern and source.

f. Where Father is, the All-Carrying One.

12 Therefore, my beloved reader, even as you have always submitted to what you have heard, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, accomplish your salvation to full completion in fear and trembling, 13 for God is the present and active Energeoing inside of you, both to desire and to Energeo for the sake of good pleasure and satisfaction.

14 Do all without grumblings and disputings, 15 that you might be without fault or impurity, but pure, as children birthed out from God, blameless in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine forth as lights inside the cosmos, 16 holding forth the word of life, as my ground of boasting into the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. 17 But if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all, 18 and likewise you also are glad and rejoice with me.

19 I hope, moreover, inside of the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you soon, that I also might be encouraged [literally – good-soul] by knowing how you are doing. 20 I have no one else of like soul, who will truly care for your needs. 21 All the others are seeking the things of themselves and not the things of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know Timothy’s proving, that as a child to a father, he has served together with me in the gospel. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I have seen how things go with me. 24 More than that, I am persuaded inside the Lord that I myself also will come soon.

25 I also esteemed it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier [in faith], who was also your messenger and minister to my own need, 26 since he was longing after you all, as you were deeply distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed, he was sick nearly to death, but God mercied him, and not him alone, but also me, that I should not have sorrow. 28 Therefore, I have sent him all the more eagerly, that, having seen him again, you might rejoice, and I might be less anxious. 29 Receive him therefore inside of the Lord with all joy and hold such in honor, 30 because for the sake of the work of Christ he came near death, having exposed his soul to danger, that he might complete what is lacking in your service towards me.


3:1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice inside of the Lord. To write the same words that I already spoke to you is not troublesome to me, but makes them certain for you.

2 Beware of the scavenging dogs; beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation. [g] 3 We indeed are the circumcision, those in God’s Spirit, worshipping and glorying inside of Christ Jesus, and not trusting in the flesh. [h] 4 Though I might have confidence even in the flesh. [i] If any other thinks to trust in flesh, I am more able to do so. 5 I was circumcised on the eighth day, born out of the nation of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. According to the law, I was a Pharisee; 6 according to zeal, persecuting the church; according to the rightness which is inside the law, I became without fault. [j]

g. Paul is referring to those Christian preachers who taught salvation by rituals of human performance.

h. Not trusting in our own “ability” to do God’s will.

i. Paul is again speaking sarcastically, triggered by the Christian circumcisers as when he wrote to the Galatians.

7 But whatever things were of benefit to me, through Christ I have considered them to be a bad deal. 8 BUT, yes rather, therefore, indeed, [k] I also consider all to be a bad deal, a losing exchange, through the surpassing knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, through whom I have forfeited all that I once thought important, and I consider my own fake rightness to be dog crap, that I might gain Christ by exchange. [l] 9 And that I might be found inside of Him, not possessing my own self-rightness out of the law, [m] but that just innocence which comes through the faith of Christ, the just innocence out of God coming upon faith. 10 That I might know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, having already been symmorphosed, sharing the same form with His death.

j. This is an incredible claim – I obeyed ALL the commandments of the law.

k. Paul is being thoroughly expressive.

l. Paul’s words contrast a bad deal gotten by keeping the law, but turned around into a profitable deal by trading self for Christ.

m. Out of my own fake hearing and obeying.

11 For by this manner, I would arrive at my destination into the resurrection out from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained that resurrection or have already come to completion; but I am aggressively pursuing it, that I also might seize hold upon that which I also was seized hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not reckon myself to have seized hold of the resurrection (yet). One thing, however, forgetting the things behind and reaching towards the things ahead, 14 I aggressively pursue all the details of the target all the way into the reward of the filled-to-the-brim calling of God inside of Christ Jesus.

15 As many as are completely perfected, therefore, should share this same gut-level heart thinking, but if in anything you are differently minded, even this God will unveil to you. 16 Nevertheless, to wherever we have arrived, walk by the same rule, the same heart thinking.

17 Be imitators together with me, brothers and sisters, and consider those who are walking in this way, as you have us for a pattern. 18 Many indeed are walking, of whom I often told you, and now I tell you even weeping, that they walk as hostile against the cross of Christ, 19 whose completion is loss, whose god is their belly, whose glory is their shame, those thinking by earthly sight or judgment. 20 Our citizenship that is, our inclusion in God’s ecosystem, exists right now active in the heavens, that is, in the realms of spirit, out from which we continuously and eagerly welcome our Savior [and Life], the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform the outer appearance of our lowly individual physical bodies, as we are symmorphosed with [sharing the same form with] His entire glorious Body [the Church], down to the finest details of the Energeia, the mighty continuous and swirling action of His ability to cause ALL [by symmorphy] to be subject to Himself.


4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm inside of the Lord, beloved.

2 I exhort Euodia and Syntyche to be of the same gut-level heart-thinking inside the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, genuine yoke-fellow, receive together these sisters who labored together with me in the gospel; also with Clement, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are inside the book of life [the Pro-Knowing of God].

4 Rejoice always inside of the Lord; again, I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men, the nearness of the Lord. 6 Be distracted by nothing, but in all by prayer and asking, with speaking good grace and giving thanks, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God surpassing all comprehension will guard, keep, and protect your hearts and your thoughts inside of Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever honorable, whatever right, whatever pure, whatever lovely, whatever admirable, if any excellence, if any praise, account these things, make these things your own self-story. 9 What also you have learned and received and have heard and seen in me, these things practice, and the God of peace will be with you.

10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord, moreover, that now at this time you renewed your active caring for me; though you were already concerned, even though you were lacking in opportunity. 11 Not that I speak as to poverty; indeed, I have learned inside whatever I am, to be content, that is, to be sufficient. 12 I know also to be lowly, [n] I know also to abound [o] inside of all, and in all I have learned the secret, that is, to eat until fully satisfied and also to be hungry, to abound over and above and also to suffer need. 13 I am strong for all inside of the One empowering me.

n. That is, just like God – gentle and lowly of heart.

o. That is, just like God – all abundant overflow.

14 But you did well, sharing together with me in my afflictions and travailing pressures. 15 You Philippians know also that when the gospel was first spoken to you, when I came to you out from Macedonia, not one other assembly shared together with me into this word of giving AND receiving, except you alone. 16 For even in Thessalonica, you sent supply both once and twice to meet my needs. 17 Not that I seek after the gift, but I seek after the fruit abounding into your account. 18 I possess all, moreover, and abound; I am filled full, having received by Epaphroditus the things sent from you, an aroma of a sweet smell, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19 But my God will fill full all your needs and business, down to the finest details of His riches and wealth found inside of glory inside all the sphere of Christ Jesus. 20 To God our Father be the glory into the seasons of the ages. Let it be so – it is so.

21 Greet every holy one inside of Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters with me greet you. 22 All the holy ones greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Let it be so – it is so.