Philippians 4:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

NIV: All God's people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household.

NASB: All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

CSB: All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household.

NLT: And all the rest of God’s people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar’s household.

KJV: All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household.

NKJV: All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.

In this verse, Paul extends his sending of greetings from the few Christians personally with him to include all the believers in this area. "Saints," as used in the Bible, is a reference to any person who is a saved Christian. The term does not mean a special or extra-holy class of believer.

This is an interesting remark, especially since Paul had previously arrested many of the saints (Acts 26:10). Later, he became one and sought to help others come to faith in Christ. Church leaders are not the only saints but are called "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12). The rapidly growing Roman church would soon be persecuted under Nero, but would survive to become the hub of Western Christianity.

Paul took special care to include "those of Caesar's household." He may have been intentionally vague at this point, not wishing to reveal the particular servants of Caesar who had converted to Christianity in his writing. However, he clearly wanted to encourage the Philippian believers that their investment in his ministry was having tremendous influence in Rome. Even those who served among the Emperor's household had come to faith in Christ. This is the only specific reference to Caesar outside of the Gospels and Acts.

Philippians 4:21–23 concludes Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. As with many of his other writings, Paul emphasizes brotherhood and the grace of God. In several of his epistles, Paul closes out his remarks with an appeal to the grace of God, through Jesus Christ. As a man drastically transformed by that grace, Paul had good reasons to remind others of it often.

Paul specifically asks two Christian women, Euodia and Syntyche, to settle their personal dispute. Other Christians are encouraged to act as reasonable, Christ-filled people. Paul notes that his experiences have taught him to be content with whatever material blessings he has. This reliance on the power of Christ not only allows believers to be content, it produces peace in our relationships to other Christians. This also requires a deliberate choice to set our attention on positive things. Paul extends sincere thanks to the Philippians for their generous support.

After putting suffering and hardship into perspective in the previous three chapters, Paul now gives specific thanks to the Philippians for their support and generosity. Prior passages in this letter have explained concepts like humility and hope, as well as a focus on Christ. Positive attitudes, and beneficial thinking, are especially important. In this concluding section, Paul calls on the Philippians to act with ''reasonableness,'' especially as they handle disagreements within the church. Paul is confident that God will bless these faithful Christians for their generous support.

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.