Philippians 1:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

NIV: The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

NASB: the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;

CSB: These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;

NLT: They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News.

KJV: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

NKJV: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;

Paul says those who preach the gospel from proper motivations do so out of love. These individuals knew Paul was imprisoned specifically because he had upheld the gospel against those who opposed it. Paul had mentioned defending the gospel in verse 7. This gospel was so important that he mentions it six times in this first chapter alone. Paul will refer to Timothy serving with him in the gospel (Philippians 2:22), women and men who served with him in the gospel (Philippians 4:3), and mentions the "beginning of the gospel" (Philippians 4:15).

In 1 Peter 3:15 we are also taught, "In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you." Believers are called both to present and defend Christianity effectively, and respectfully, to help bring people to faith in Christ and help equip believers to grow in their knowledge of God. Part of doing that, in truth, is doing so out of love and concern, not selfish ambition.

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 5/7/2024 6:31:39 AM