Filipi 1:12

Ministry as a Prisoner

1:12 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, ¹  that my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel: ² 

Filipi 2:2

2:2 complete my joy and be of the same mind, ³  by having the same love, being united in spirit, ⁴  and having one purpose.

Filipi 2:30--3:1

2:30 since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me. ⁵ 

True and False Righteousness

3:1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, ⁶  rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Filipi 3:15

3:15 Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view. ⁷  If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways. ⁸ 

Filipi 4:7

4:7 And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds ⁹  in Christ Jesus.

Filipi 4:9

4:9 And what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you.

[1:12]  ¹ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

[1:12]  ² tn Grk “for the advance of the gospel.” The genitive εὐαγγελίου (euangeliou) is taken as objective.

[2:2]  ³ tn Or “and feel the same way,” “and think the same thoughts.” The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated “and be of the same mind” to reflect its epexegetical force to the imperative “complete my joy.”

[2:2]  ⁴ tn The Greek word here is σύμψυχοι (sumyucoi, literally “fellow souled”).

[2:30]  ⁵ tn Grk “make up for your lack of service to me.”

[3:1]  ⁶ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[3:15]  ⁷ tn Grk “those of us who are ‘perfect’ should think this,” or possibly “those of us who are mature should think this.”

[3:15]  sn The adjective perfect comes from the same root as the verb perfected in v. 12; Paul may well be employing a wordplay to draw in his opponents. Thus, perfect would then be in quotation marks and Paul would then argue that no one – neither they nor he – is in fact perfect. The thrust of vv. 1-16 is that human credentials can produce nothing that is pleasing to God (vv. 1-8). Instead of relying on such, Paul urges his readers to trust God for their righteousness (v. 9) rather than their own efforts, and at the same time to press on for the prize that awaits them (vv. 12-14). He argues further that perfection is unattainable in this life (v. 15), yet the level of maturity that one has reached should not for this reason be abandoned (v. 16).

[3:15]  ⁸ tn Grk “reveal this to you.” The referent of the pronoun “this” is the fact that the person is thinking differently than Paul does. This has been specified in the translation with the phrase “the error of your ways”; Paul is stating that God will make it known to these believers when they are not in agreement with Paul.

[4:7]  ⁹ tn Grk “will guard the hearts of you and the minds of you.” To improve the English style, the second occurrence of ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “of you”) has not been translated, since it is somewhat redundant in English.