Philippians 4
4
1My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with such pride. Don’t waver. Stay on track, steady in God.
Pray About Everything
2I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their differences and make up. God doesn’t want his children holding grudges.
3And, oh, yes, Syzygus, since you’re right there to help them work things out, do your best with them. These women worked for the Message hand in hand with Clement and me, and with the other veterans—worked as hard as any of us. Remember, their names are also in the Book of Life.
4-5Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!
6-7Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
8-9Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Content Whatever the Circumstances
10-14I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.
15-17You Philippians well know, and you can be sure I’ll never forget it, that when I first left Macedonia province, venturing out with the Message, not one church helped out in the give-and-take of this work except you. You were the only one. Even while I was in Thessalonica, you helped out—and not only once, but twice. Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.
18-20And now I have it all—and keep getting more! The gifts you sent with Epaphroditus were more than enough, like a sweet-smelling sacrifice roasting on the altar, filling the air with fragrance, pleasing God to no end. You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes.
21-22Give our regards to every follower of Jesus you meet. Our friends here say hello. All the Christians here, especially the believers who work in the palace of Caesar, want to be remembered to you.
23Receive and experience the amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, deep, deep within yourselves.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Philippians 4
4
1Therefore, my beloved and #Phil. 1:8longed-for brethren, #2 Cor. 1:14my joy and crown, so #1 Cor. 16:13; Phil. 1:27stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
Be United, Joyful, and in Prayer
2I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche #Phil. 2:2; 3:16to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who #Rom. 16:3labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in #Ex. 32:32; Luke 10:20the Book of Life.
4#Rom. 12:12Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5Let your gentleness be known to all men. #1 Cor. 16:22; Heb. 10:25, 37; (James 5:7–9); Rev. 22:7, 20The Lord is at hand.
6#Ps. 55:22; Matt. 6:25; 1 Pet. 5:7Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with #(1 Thess. 5:17, 18)thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and #(Is. 26:3; John 14:27); Phil. 4:9; Col. 3:15the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Meditate on These Things
8Finally, brethren, whatever things are #Eph. 4:25true, whatever things are #2 Cor. 8:21noble, whatever things are #Deut. 16:20just, #1 Thess. 5:22; James 3:17whatever things are pure, whatever things are #1 Cor. 13:4–7lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and #Rom. 15:33; Heb. 13:20the God of peace will be with you.
Philippian Generosity
10But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last #2 Cor. 11:9; Phil. 2:30your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, #2 Cor. 9:8; 1 Tim. 6:6, 8; Heb. 13:5to be content: 12#1 Cor. 4:11I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13I can do all things #John 15:5through Christ who strengthens me.
14Nevertheless you have done well that #Phil. 1:7you shared in my distress. 15Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, #2 Cor. 11:8, 9no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. 16For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17Not that I seek the gift, but I seek #Titus 3:14the fruit that abounds to your account. 18Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from #Phil. 2:25Epaphroditus the things sent from you, #Heb. 13:16a sweet-smelling aroma, #Rom. 12:1; 2 Cor. 9:12an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. 19And my God #Ps. 23:1; 2 Cor. 9:8shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20#Rom. 16:27Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Greeting and Blessing
21Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren #Gal. 1:2who are with me greet you. 22All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.
23The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.