1 So that, my brethren, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, thus stand fast in [the] Lord, beloved.
Only conduct yourselves worthily of the glad tidings of the Christ, in order that whether coming and seeing you, or absent, I may hear of what concerns you, that ye stand firm in one spirit, with one soul, labouring together in the same conflict with the faith of the glad tidings;
Be vigilant; stand fast in the faith; quit yourselves like men; be strong.
For God is my witness how I long after you all in [the] bowels of Christ Jesus.
So then, my beloved brethren, be firm, immovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in [the] Lord.
to them who, in patient continuance of good works, seek for glory and honour and incorruptibility, life eternal.
Ye are already clean by reason of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abide in the vine, thus neither [can] ye unless ye abide in me.
who, having arrived and seeing the grace of God, rejoiced, and exhorted all with purpose of heart to abide with the Lord;
Jesus therefore said to the Jews who believed him, If ye abide in my word, ye are truly my disciples;
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, *I* also will keep thee out of the hour of trial, which is about to come upon the whole habitable world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. I come quickly: hold fast what thou hast, that no one take thy crown.
But to him that is able to keep you without stumbling, and to set [you] with exultation blameless before his glory, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, [be] glory, majesty, might, and authority, from before the whole age, and now, and to all the ages. Amen.
*Ye* therefore, beloved, knowing [these] things before, take care lest, being led away along with the error of the wicked, ye should fall from your own stedfastness:
All these things then being to be dissolved, what ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, by reason of which [the] heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and [the] elements, burning with heat, shall melt? But, according to his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, as ye wait for these things, be diligent to be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless;
Having therefore a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the confession.
For we are become companions of the Christ if indeed we hold the beginning of the assurance firm to the end;
So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.
in order to the confirming of your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? [are] not *ye* also before our Lord Jesus at his coming? for ye are our glory and joy.
Epaphras, who is [one] of you, [the] bondman of Christ Jesus, salutes you, always combating earnestly for you in prayers, to the end that ye may stand perfect and complete in all [the] will of God.
for *our* commonwealth has its existence in [the] heavens, from which also we await the Lord Jesus Christ [as] Saviour, who shall transform our body of humiliation into conformity to his body of glory, according to the working of [the] power which he has even to subdue all things to himself.
since he had a longing desire after you all, and was distressed because ye had heard that he was sick;
For the rest, brethren, be strong in [the] Lord, and in the might of his strength. Put on the panoply of God, that ye may be able to stand against the artifices of the devil: because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against authorities, against the universal lords of this darkness, against spiritual [power] of wickedness in the heavenlies. For this reason take [to you] the panoply of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having accomplished all things, to stand. Stand therefore, having girt about your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and shod your feet with [the] preparation of the glad tidings of peace: besides all [these], having taken the shield of faith with which ye will be able to quench all the inflamed darts of the wicked one. Have also the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word; praying at all seasons, with all prayer and supplication in [the] Spirit, and watching unto this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints;
establishing the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to abide in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
And they persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in breaking of bread and prayers.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Philippians 4
Commentary on Philippians 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
Exhortations to several Christian duties, as stedfastness, unanimity, joy, etc. (v. 1-9). The apostle's grateful acknowledgments of the Philippians' kindness to him, with expressions of his own content, and desire of their good (v. 10-19). He concludes the epistle with praise, salutations, and blessing (v. 20-23).
Phl 4:1-9
The apostle begins the chapter with exhortations to divers Christian duties.
In these things he proposes himself to them for an example (v. 9): Those things which you have learned, and received, and heard and seen in me, do. Observe, Paul's doctrine and life were of a piece. What they saw in him was the same thing with what they heard from him. He could propose himself as well as his doctrine to their imitation. It gives a great force to what we say to others when we can appeal to what they have seen in us. And this is the way to have the God of peace with us-to keep close to our duty to him. The Lord is with us while we are with him.
Phl 4:10-19
In these verses we have the thankful grateful acknowledgment which the apostle makes of the kindness of the Philippians in sending him a present for his support, now that he was a prisoner at Rome. And here,
Phl 4:20-23
The apostle concludes the epistle in these verses,