Philippians · Free Bible Version
Philippians 4 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 So stand firm in the Lord, my dear friends who mean so much to me, who make me so happy! To me you are my crowning achievement! I truly love you and long to see you!
1 Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
2 Euodia and Syntyche—I urge you to resolve your differences with each other and agree in the Lord.
2 I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to think the same way in the Lord.
3 In fact, my faithful fellow-worker, let me ask you to help these women, for they worked together with me to spread the good news—as well as Clement and my other co-workers, whose names are recorded in the book of life.
3 Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Always be happy in the Lord—I repeat, Be happy!
4 Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!”
5 Everyone should know about your kindness. The Lord will soon be here.
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Don't worry about anything, but take everything to God in prayer, explaining your requests to him and thanking him for all he does.
6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
7 Then the peace that comes from God, which is better than we can ever imagine, will protect your thoughts and attitudes in Christ Jesus.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
8 Lastly, whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, beautiful, commendable, whatever is truly good and deserves to be praised, think about these kinds of things.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
9 Put into practice what you learned and received from me, what you saw me doing and heard me say. Then the God of peace will be with you.
9 Do the things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
10 I'm so happy in the Lord that you've at last thought about me again—realizing that you were concerned about me before but you couldn't do anything about it.
10 But I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.
11 I'm not talking about my own needs, because I've already learned to be satisfied in whatever situation I find myself.
11 Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it.
12 I'm used to having nothing, and I've experienced having plenty too. In every possible situation I've learned the secret of dealing with having plenty and going hungry, of being rich and of living in poverty:
12 I know how to be humbled, and I also know how to abound. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.
13 I can do anything through him who makes me strong!
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
14 Even so it was good of you to share with me during my troubles.
14 However you did well that you shared in my affliction.
15 You Philippians remember that right at the beginning of sharing the good news, when I left Macedonia, that yours was the only church that helped me financially.
15 You yourselves also know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the Good News, when I departed from Macedonia, no assembly shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you only.
16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you helped me out not once but twice.
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again to my need.
17 Not that I'm looking for a donation—I'm looking for your “account” to increase in “profit.”
17 Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.
18 For I have everything, more than I need! I'm thankful to receive from Epaphroditus the things you sent. They're like a sweet-smelling sacrifice that pleases God and that he approves of.
18 But I have all things and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.
19 My God will fill you with everything you need in accordance with his glorious wealth in Christ Jesus!
19 My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
20 Glory be to God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever! Amen.
21 Greet every fellow-believer in Christ Jesus. The Christian brothers and sisters with me send their greetings.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.
22 All the believers send you greetings, especially those from Caesar's palace.
22 All the saints greet you, especially those who are of Caesar’s household.
23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Clement
Named by Paul as a coworker whose name is in the book of life.
Cited in the guide: Philippians 4:3
Epaphroditus
Paul's brother, coworker, and fellow soldier whom the Philippians sent with a gift; he nearly died of illness.
Cited in the guide: Philippians 2:25; Philippians 4:18
Euodia
A woman at Philippi who had labored with Paul in the gospel; Paul urges her to be of one mind with Syntyche.
Cited in the guide: Philippians 4:2
Syntyche
A woman at Philippi who had labored with Paul in the gospel; Paul urges her to be of one mind with Euodia.
Cited in the guide: Philippians 4:2
Cross references (23)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Philippians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Psalm 27:14; Philippians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 15:58
- 2 Hebrews 12:14; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Mark 9:50; 1 Peter 3:8–11; Philippians 2:2–3
- 3 Revelation 3:5; Luke 10:20; Revelation 13:8; Philippians 1:27; Revelation 21:27
- 4 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; Romans 12:12; James 1:2–4; Philippians 3:1; Matthew 5:12
- 5 James 5:8–9; Matthew 6:25; Titus 3:2; Hebrews 10:37; 1 Peter 4:7
- 6 Proverbs 3:5–6; 1 Peter 5:7; Matthew 6:25–33; Psalm 55:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:17–18
- 7 John 14:27; Isaiah 26:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Colossians 3:15; Psalm 29:11
- 8 James 3:17; Titus 2:7; Romans 12:9–21; 2 Corinthians 8:21; Galatians 5:22
- 9 James 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8; Philippians 3:17; 2 Peter 1:10; John 13:17
- 10 2 Corinthians 11:9; Galatians 6:6; 2 Corinthians 7:6–7; Galatians 6:10; Philippians 1:3
- 11 1 Timothy 6:6–9; Hebrews 13:5–6; Matthew 6:31–34; Philippians 3:8; 2 Corinthians 9:8
- 12 Matthew 11:29; 2 Corinthians 12:7–10; 2 Corinthians 11:27; 2 Corinthians 11:9; 2 Corinthians 6:4–10
- 13 Isaiah 41:10; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Ephesians 6:10; Colossians 1:11; Isaiah 40:29–31
- 14 Hebrews 13:16; Philippians 1:7; Hebrews 10:34; Galatians 6:6; 1 Kings 8:18
- 15 Philippians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 11:8–12; 2 Corinthians 12:11–15; Acts 16:40–17:5
- 16 1 Thessalonians 2:9; Acts 17:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:18
- 17 Titus 3:14; Hebrews 6:10; 2 Corinthians 9:9–13; John 15:8; Titus 1:7
- 18 Hebrews 13:16; Philippians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 9:12; Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 2:25–26
- 19 2 Corinthians 9:8–11; Psalm 84:11; 1 Peter 5:10; 1 Timothy 6:17; Psalm 23:1–5
- 20 Romans 11:36; Psalm 115:1; Revelation 14:7; Revelation 7:12; Revelation 1:6
- 21 Galatians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 4:10–14; Romans 16:21–22; Philippians 1:1
- 22 Philippians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 13:13; Romans 16:16; 1 Peter 5:13; Hebrews 13:24
- 23 Romans 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"Blessed are they that mourn," and "woe unto them that laugh" (Matt. v. 4; Luke vi. 25.), saith Christ. How then saith Paul, "Rejoice in the Lord alway"? "Woe to them that laugh," said Christ, the laughter of this world which ariseth from the things which are present.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
… the Levites shall have no part in the whole tribe of Levi, nor substance with Israel; their substance is the offerings (fructifications) of the Lord: these shall they eat." Wherefore also Paul says, "I do not seek after a gift, but I seek after fruit." To His disciples He said, who had a priesthood of the Lord, to whom it …
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Lo!
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
Heardest thou not what Paul saith, "Rejoice in the Lord?" He said not, "in the devil." When then wilt thou be able to hear Paul?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… the adversary, so likewise ye, after Holy Baptism and the Mystical Chrism, having put on the whole armour of the Holy Ghost, are to stand against the power of the adversary, and vanquish it, saying, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)