Filipi 1:28

1:28 and by not being intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is ¹  a sign of their ²  destruction, but of your salvation – a sign which ³  is from God.

Filipi 2:25

2:25 But for now ⁴  I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, ⁵  coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger ⁶  and minister ⁷  to me in my need. ⁸ 

[1:28]  ¹ tn Grk “which is,” continuing the sentence begun in v. 27.

[1:28]  sn The antecedent of the pronoun This is conceptual, most likely referring to the Philippian Christians standing firm for the gospel. Thus, their stand for the gospel is the dual sign of their opponents’ destruction and of their own salvation.

[1:28]  ² tn Grk “to them.”

[1:28]  sn Paul uses the dative “to them” (translated here as their) to describe the coming destruction of the gospel’s enemies, but the genitive “your” to describe the believers’ coming salvation. The dative accents what will happen to the enemies (called a dative of disadvantage [see ExSyn 143-44]), while the genitive accents what the believers will possess (and, in fact, do already possess, as v. 29 makes clear).

[1:28]  ³ tn Grk “this.” The pronoun refers back to “a sign”; thus these words have been repeated for clarity.

[2:25]  ⁴ tn Grk “But.” The temporal notion (“for now”) is implied in the epistolary aorist (“I have considered”), for Epaphroditus was dispatched with this letter to the Philippians.

[2:25]  ⁵ tn Grk “my brother” instead of “For he is my brother.” Verse 25 constitutes one sentence in Greek, with “my brother…” functioning appositionally to “Epaphroditus.”

[2:25]  sn The reason why Paul refers to Epaphroditus as his brother, coworker, fellow soldier, etc., is because he wants to build up Epaphroditus in the eyes of the Philippians, since Paul is sending him back instead of Timothy. This accent on Epaphroditus’ character and service is implied in the translation “For he is…”

[2:25]  ⁶ tn Grk “apostle.”

[2:25]  ⁷ tn The Greek word translated “minister” here is λειτουργός (leitourgo").

[2:25]  ⁸ tn Grk “servant of my need.”