Philippians 1
BSASBPaul writes from prison to a church he loves. He thanks God for them, prays that their love will grow wise and pure, and shows how even his chains have helped spread the gospel. He faces life and death with Christ at the center, and urges the Philippians to stand united and unafraid in suffering.
Philippians 1:1
Paul joins Timothy with himself and calls them both servants of Christ. He greets all the believers at Philippi, along with their appointed leaders. Every believer is called a saint, meaning set apart for God because of Christ, not because of personal achievement.
BSA: servants (“bondservants, slaves”): Paul sees himself as wholly owned by Christ and glad to be at his Master’s disposal. saints (“holy ones, set apart”): Saints are ordinary believers set apart for God, not a special class of super-Christians.
Greek: δοῦλοι (douloi, G1401) — “slaves, bondservants.” This is the plain word for a slave. Paul takes the lowest place in the household as his proudest title.
Philippians 1:2
Paul’s usual greeting wishes them grace and peace. Grace is God’s undeserved kindness, and peace is the wholeness that follows from it. Both flow from the Father and the Lord Jesus together, and both are gifts, not wages.
BSA: Grace (“unmerited favor, divine influence”): Grace is both God’s free favor and His power at work in us.
See also: Romans 1:7.
Philippians 1:3-4
Paul’s memories of the Philippians turn straight into thanksgiving, and his prayers for them are full of joy. Even from a prison cell, thinking of fellow believers lifts his heart. Remembering others before God is a source of gladness.
BSA: joy (“deep and lasting happiness, gladness”): This joy is not a passing mood. It runs through the whole letter, even in chains.
Philippians 1:5
Paul thanks God for their partnership in the gospel from the day they first believed. They shared in the work through faith, encouragement and gifts sent to him. Their ongoing involvement was a living proof that the gospel had taken root.
BSA: partnership (“fellowship, or participation”): The word means active sharing in a common work, not just friendly feeling.
Greek: κοινωνίᾳ (koinōnia, G2842) — “sharing, fellowship, partnership.” It describes shared life and shared labor. The Philippians were co-workers with Paul, not just spectators.
See also: Philippians 4:15.
Philippians 1:6
Paul’s confidence rests on God, not on the Philippians’ strength. The One who started the work of salvation in them will finish it, right up to the day Christ returns. This gives believers lasting hope when they feel unfinished.
BSA: began (“initiated, started”): God Himself is the starter of the work, so it does not depend on our own beginnings. completion (“perfection, maturity”): God’s aim is a full and mature result, not a half-finished one.
See also: Philippians 2:13; Jude 1:24.
Philippians 1:7
Paul has good reason to think so well of them. They hold him in their hearts, and they shared in his grace whether he was in chains or defending the gospel. Their loyalty to him was a real sharing in his suffering and mission.
BSA: partners (“sharers, partakers”): They truly shared in what God was giving Paul, including his imprisonment. defense (“apology, vindication”): This is the language of making a case for the truth of the gospel before others.
Greek: συγκοινωνούς (synkoinōnous, G4791) — “fellow-sharers.” It builds on the word for fellowship and adds ’together with.’ They stood alongside Paul in grace, chains and all.
Philippians 1:8
Paul calls God as witness to how deeply he longs for them. His love is not mere politeness. It is the tender love of Christ Himself moving in him. Real Christian affection has its source in Jesus’ own heart.
BSA: affection (“tender mercies, loving care”): The word points to deep, gut-level compassion, like Christ’s own.
Greek: σπλάγχνοις (splanchnois, G4698) — “inner organs, deep feelings, tender compassion.” The Greeks located strong emotion in the inward parts. Paul is saying he loves them from the depths, with Christ’s own heart.
Philippians 1:9
Paul prays that their love would keep growing, but guided by knowledge and good judgment. Love in the Bible is not vague sentiment. It grows wiser as it grows warmer, learning how to love in ways that truly help.
BSA: love (“agape, divine affection”): This is self-giving love of the kind God shows, not mere fondness. abound (“superabound, overflow”): Paul prays for love that spills over its banks.
Philippians 1:10
With growing wisdom, they can weigh options and choose what is truly excellent, not just what is acceptable. The goal is a sincere, clean life ready for the day Christ returns, without hidden fault.
BSA: test and prove (“thoroughly examine and discern”): It pictures careful testing, as when metal or coins are checked for genuineness. pure (“sincere, genuine”): The idea is a life that holds up under bright light, with nothing false.
Greek: δοκιμάζειν (dokimazein, G1381) — “to test and approve.” It was used of testing metals and coins to approve what was genuine. Paul wants believers to discern the real thing.
See also: 1 Thessalonians 5:21.
Philippians 1:11
A life made right by Jesus bears the fruit of righteousness: good character and good deeds. These come through Christ, not from our own effort. The result is that God is glorified and praised.
BSA: fruit (“of righteous living, the product of a virtuous life”): Fruit grows naturally from a living connection to Christ, rather than being manufactured.
See also: John 15:5; Galatians 5:22-23.
Philippians 1:12
Paul turns to his own situation. His friends may have feared his imprisonment was a setback. He assures them it has actually moved the gospel forward. God can use even hard circumstances for his purposes.
BSA: advance (“promote, further”): The gospel is not blocked by prison but pushed forward.
Greek: προκοπὴν (prokopēn, G4297) — “progress, forward movement.” The word pictures pioneers cutting a path ahead through rough country. Paul’s chains cleared the way for the gospel.
Philippians 1:13
Paul’s imprisonment, probably in Rome, put him in daily contact with the imperial guard. They and others learned that he was in chains because of Christ, not because of crime. His confinement became a pulpit to people he could not otherwise reach.
BSA: palace guard (“praetorium, Roman governor’s headquarters”): The word points to the elite soldiers and official circle around Roman authority.
Philippians 1:14
Instead of being frightened by Paul’s arrest, most of the believers around him were encouraged. His courage in chains gave them courage to speak. One believer’s faithful suffering can make others bolder.
BSA: dare (“are bold, have courage”): They went beyond what they had dared before. without fear (“fearlessly, boldly, with confidence”): Fear was replaced by confidence in speaking out.
Philippians 1:15-17
Some preached Christ from envy and rivalry, even hoping to hurt Paul. Others did it from goodwill and love, knowing God had placed Paul there to defend the gospel. Paul is honest that motives differ, yet the message is still Christ.
BSA: envy (“jealousy, spite”): Some resented Paul’s standing and wanted to outshine him. selfish ambition (“for their own gain”): Their preaching served themselves, not Christ.
Philippians 1:18
Paul does not let personal hurt control him. What matters most to him is that Christ is made known, and he rejoices in that, whatever the motives. His joy rests on Christ’s name spreading, not on his own reputation.
BSA: rejoice (“am glad, feel happy”): Paul chooses gladness because Christ is proclaimed, even through imperfect messengers.
Philippians 1:19
Paul is sure his trouble will end in deliverance. He expects this through the prayers of the Philippians and the Spirit’s supply of help. Whether that means release or something greater, he trusts God to bring good from it.
BSA: provision (“supply, contribution”): The Spirit richly supplies what Paul needs for each hour. deliverance (“salvation, rescue, safety”): The word can mean rescue from prison or a deeper, final salvation.
See also: Job 13:16.
Philippians 1:20
Paul’s deepest hope is not escape but that he will never be ashamed of Christ and will speak with full courage. Whether he lives or dies, he wants his body to make Christ look great.
BSA: exalted (“magnified, praised”): Paul wants Christ to be seen as great through his life or death. boldness (“freedom in speaking, confidence”): It means open, unashamed speech, free from fear.
Greek: ἀποκαραδοκίαν (apokaradokian, G603) — “eager expectation.” It pictures someone craning the neck, eyes fixed forward on what is coming. Paul looks ahead with intense hope.
Philippians 1:21
This verse sums up Paul’s outlook. Christ is the whole meaning of his life, so death is not loss but gain, bringing him fully into Christ’s presence. For the believer, Christ is both the purpose of living and the reward beyond death.
BSA: gain (“profit, advantage, spiritual benefit”): Death is a real advantage because it brings Paul nearer to Christ.
See also: Galatians 2:20.
Philippians 1:22
If Paul stays alive, it means more fruitful work among believers. He honestly admits he cannot decide between the two. His struggle is not between good and bad but between two good things.
BSA: fruitful (“productive, abundant”): More living would mean more gospel fruit among people.
Philippians 1:23
Paul feels pulled both ways. He longs to leave this life and be with Christ, which he calls far better. This shows that for the believer, death means being with Jesus, not simply ceasing to exist.
BSA: torn (“pressed, in a strait”): He feels squeezed between two strong desires, like a traveler in a narrow pass. depart (“to break up, leave this world”): Death is pictured as breaking camp and setting out on a journey.
Greek: ἀναλῦσαι (analysai, G360) — “to loose, break camp, set sail.” It was used for striking a tent or untying a ship’s moorings. Death is a departure toward Christ.
See also: 2 Corinthians 5:8.
Philippians 1:24-26
Paul concludes that staying is more needed for the Philippians’ sake. He is confident he will be released and see them again, so their growth and joy in Christ may overflow. His choice is shaped by love for others, not just personal desire.
BSA: progress (“advancement, growth”): Paul stays so they can move forward in faith. exultation (“rejoicing, boasting”): Their joy is in Christ, though Paul’s return will be the occasion for it.
Philippians 1:27
Whether Paul is present or absent, he wants them to live in a way that fits the gospel. They are to stand firm together, united in spirit, striving side by side for the faith. A church’s unity is part of its witness.
BSA: conduct (“live, behave”): The call is to live as citizens whose lives match the gospel they believe. side by side (“together, in unity”): They are to fight as a team, not as isolated individuals.
Greek: πολιτεύεσθε (politeuesthe, G4176) — “live as citizens.” Philippi was a Roman colony proud of its citizenship. Paul tells them to live as citizens of the gospel’s kingdom.
See also: Ephesians 4:1.
Philippians 1:28
They should not be shaken by opponents. Their steadiness is a sign pointing to the opponents’ coming ruin and to the believers’ salvation, and God Himself is behind it. Courage under pressure testifies to the reality of God’s work.
BSA: frightened (“or intimidated, terrified”): The word suggests the panic of a startled horse, so Paul asks for calm steadiness. salvation (“or rescue, spiritual deliverance”): Their steadfastness shows God is rescuing them.
Philippians 1:29-30
Both believing and suffering for Christ are gifts from God. The Philippians now share the kind of struggle Paul has known, and he knew it among them in Philippi. Suffering for Christ marks them as belonging to Him.
BSA: granted (“given as a gift, freely bestowed”): Even the privilege of suffering for Christ is treated as a grace from God. struggle (“conflict, fight”): The word pictures an athletic or battle contest that demands real effort.
Greek: ἐχαρίσθη (echaristhē, G5483) — “was graciously given.” It comes from the word for grace. Both faith and suffering are described as gifts of God’s favor.
See also: Acts 16:19-24; 2 Timothy 3:12.