Philippians 2:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

NIV: Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

NASB: For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.

CSB: Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.

NLT: And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him — and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.

KJV: For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

NKJV: For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

Epaphroditus had been sick to the point of death. Yet Paul stated that God's "mercy" had come in the form of healing. This mercy was not merely for the sick man, but for Paul as well. As his friend, and the recipient of Epaphroditus's help, Paul saw this recovery as a personal mercy from God. Paul was so close to Epaphroditus that he would have grieved deeply at losing this dear friend.

Interestingly, mercy is often associated with healing in the New Testament. In Matthew 15:22, a woman asked for mercy from Jesus for her demon-possessed daughter. In Matthew 17:15, mercy was asked for a son who was an epileptic. Two blind men called to Jesus for mercy in Matthew 20:30 (also Mark 10:47). Mercy is both a blessing from God and often connected with relief from sickness. Mercy is given for us to tell others how God has changed us (Mark 5:19). Even the Good Samaritan was focused on helping people see the need to show mercy to those in need (Luke 10:37).

Philippians 2:19–30 is Paul's instructions to the Philippian church regarding two particular men: Timothy and Epaphroditus. Timothy was a trusted friend of Paul's, who would likely be visiting the church at Philippi soon. Epaphroditus apparently had friends and contacts in this church, and had brought support from Philippi to Paul. After recovering from a near-fatal disease, Epaphroditus is the one delivering this letter from Paul and Timothy.

Paul describes Jesus Christ as one willing to be humble, in obedience to God the Father. For this, God will exalt Jesus' name above all others. Someday, one way or another, all people will admit that Jesus Christ is Lord, and submit to Him. Paul wants the Philippian believers to live with contentment and unity, without complaining. Instructions are given regarding two visitors. The first is actually the one delivering this letter, Epaphroditus. The other is Timothy, Paul's trusted friend, who hopefully will be visiting soon.

Philippians 1 focused on the importance of perspective. A Christian's life, lived for Christ, may be hard or easy, but all things can give God glory. Chapter 2 frames this concept through the humility shown by Jesus Christ. His willingness to obey God the Father, even being crucified, is the ultimate example of humble service. In return, His name will be honored more than any other. Paul's instructions regarding Timothy and Epaphroditus also form a bridge to chapter 3, where Paul will contrast these good men with the dangers of false teachers.

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 5/5/2024 12:32:34 PM