Philippians 1:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

NIV: And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

NASB: and that most of the brothers and sisters, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

CSB: Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the word fearlessly.

NLT: And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

KJV: And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

NKJV: and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Unbelievers in Rome had heard about Paul's message (Philippians 1:13). In fact, they had come to understand clearly that Paul's imprisonment was entirely for the sake of the gospel. Paul was obviously not a thug or criminal. Not only had Paul been given a chance to witness to unbelievers, but other Christians had gained confidence by seeing how Paul responded to his circumstances. Paul's captivity motivated Christians to share the gospel more boldly. If Paul could go to jail for his faith, other believers could take a bold, risky stand for their faith in Jesus as well.

Even from the earliest days of Christianity, some have struggled with fear in sharing their faith. All believers are called to make disciples (Matthew 28:18–20). Certain occasions will give people more boldness to speak out. However, there are those who will be fearful for a variety of reasons. We must all work to better share our faith, acknowledging that some will be bolder or more gifted in evangelism than others.

Philippians 1:12–18 explains Paul's perspective on his imprisonment. Specifically, Paul sees the many hardships of his life as a good thing, for one reason: they have led to the spread of the gospel. Paul has been held captive; this has allowed him to preach to his jailers. Paul has seen others repeat his own message in an effort to harm him; this has caused even more people to hear the gospel. This passage sets up Paul's upcoming argument that, whether by life or death, he intends to bring glory to God.

In chapter 1, Paul thanks the Philippian believers for supporting his ministry. Even when Paul was jailed, or persecuted, they had been generous and loyal. Paul encourages these Christians by explaining that all of his suffering has been for a good cause. Even better, these attempts to persecute Paul have actually caused the gospel to spread. For this, Paul is grateful. He fully expects to be released, and to see the believers of Philippi again.

Chapter 1 introduces the major themes of Paul's letter. A large proportion of the passage is given to thanking the Philippian church for their loyal support of Paul. Paul also encourages them with a reminder that, good or bad, anything a Christian experiences can be used for the glory of God. This sets the tone for the rest of the letter, where Paul will continue to stress the importance of living out the Christian life. This, he says, starts with having a proper attitude and approach.

Philippians is Paul's discussion of living the Christian life. In this letter to the church of Philippi, Paul highlights themes such as joy and glory. He also puts great emphasis on how a Christian's thinking—their attitude—affects the way they live out their faith. Paul is very thankful for the support of the Philippian church, but is also concerned about the influence of various false teachers. This letter is less theological than most of his other writings, and more practical.

Accessed 11/21/2024 4:46:41 AM