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fear and trembling, in singleness having your feet shod with a of your heart, as yé obey Christ: readiness for preaching the gos6 not with eye-service, as men-pel of peace; 16 besides all, pleasers; but as the servants having taken up the shield of I of Christ, doing the will of God faith, with which ye will be from the heart; 7 doing ser- able to quench all the fiery vice with cheerfulness, as to the darts of the enemy 17 [take] Lord, and not to men: 8 know- also the helmet of salvation; ing that whatever good thing and the sword of the spirit, any one doth, he will receive which is the word of God: 18 it from the Lord, whether he praying in spirit, at all times, be a servant or free-man. with all prayer and supplication; and, to [this] end, watching with all manner of readi-ness and supplication on behalf of all the saints; 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, in opening my mouth with freedom, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in a chain; that therein I may speak freely, as I ought to speak.

9 And, masters, do the same to them, forbearing threats: knowing that yourselves also have a Master in heaven, with whom there is no respect of persons.

*

10 FINALLY, [my brethren,] strengthen yourselves in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the impostor: 12 for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and to stand, having conquered every thing. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth; and having put on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 and

21 BUT that ye also may know the things concerning me, what I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make known to you all things; 22 whom I have sent to you for this that ye

very purpose, might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

23 PEACE be to the brethren, and love and faith, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Favour be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

* "Flesh and blood is a Hebraism denoting mankind in general." Macknight.

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS.

CHAP. I.

1 PAUL and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus* who are in Philippi, and to the bishopst and deacons : 2 favour be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

proof the things which differ; and that ye may be sincere, and without offence, till the day of Christ; 11 being filled with the fruit of righteousness, which is through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

12 NOW I wish you to understand, brethren, that the things concerning me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel; 13 so that in all the palace, and in all other places, my bonds are wellknown to be on account of Christ; 14 and that many of the brethren in the Lord, grow

3 I THANK my God upon every remembrance of you; 4 always, in every supplication of mine for you all, making my supplication with joy, 5 for your kind contribution to the gospel, from its first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he, who hathing confident by my bonds, are begun a good work in you, much more bold to speak the will continue completing it word without fear. until the day of Jesus Christ: 7 as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, both in my bonds, and in my defence of myself, and my confirmation of the gospel, even all of you as being joint-contributors to the gift which I have received.

8 For God [is] my witness, how greatly I long after you all with the tender affection of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment; 10 to the end that ye may put to the

15 Some indeed, even through envy and strife, and some also through good-will, preach Christ. 17 Those who preach Christ from love, preach him knowing that I am appointed for the defence of the gospel : 16 but those who preach from contention, preach Christ not sincerely, thinking to add affliction to my bonds.

18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and herein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. 19 For I know that this will end in my

* "To all who are holy by means of admission into the Christian covenant." See 1 Cor. i. 2. Newcome.

+ Gr. ExIOXOTeis (literally)" overseers." See Clarke.

deliverance, through your prayer, and through the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ; 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall be put to shame in nothing; but that, with all freedom of speech in me, Christ, as always, so now also, will be magnified in my body, whether it be through life or through death.

21 For as concerning me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.* 22 But if it be given me to live in the flesh, this preaching of Christ is the fruit of my labour : yet what I should choose I know not: 23 but I am in a strait between the two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; [for] this would be very far better: 24 nevertheless to remain still [in] the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And, confident of this, I know that I shall remain, and shall even remain with you all, for your furtherance and joy in the faith: 26 that your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound through me, by my presence with you again.

27 ONLY let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that, whether I come and see you, or be absent, I may learn concerning you, that ye stand

firmly in one spirit, striving together, with one mind, for the faith of the gospel; 28 and in nothing terrified by those who oppose it: which is to them a declaration of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God: 29 for to you it hath been graciously given, as concerning Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him; 30 having the

same contest which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.t

CH. II. 1 If therefore there be any comfort in Christ, if any consolation from love, if any mutual affection, if any compassion and mercies; 2 fill up my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, joined together in soul, of onc mind: 3 doing nothing through contention, or vain-glory; but in humility of mind, esteeming others better than yourselves: 4 not regarding every one his own things only, but every one the things also of others.

5 [For] let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, being in the form of God, did not eagerly grasp at this resemblance to God: 7 but divested himself, taking the form of a servant, was made

"The apostle probably thought that the advent of Christ to raise the dead was very near. See 1 Thess. iv. 13-18, and therefore judged that a quiet rest in the grave till that event, would be to himself preferrable to a life of suffering and persecution: though he was content to continue in his present suffering state for the benefit of the church. At any rate he could not mean to express an expectation of an intermediate state of enjoyment between death and the resurrection: for he hints at no such topic of consolation to the bereaved Thessalonians in the passage above cited. And if he had expected that a state of felicity would have imme-. diately succeeded the dissolution of the body, it would have been impossible for him to have declared to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. xv. 17, 18, that if the dead rise not, their faith would be vain, and that all who had fallen asleep in Christ had perished." Im. Ver. note.

+ Some think that ver. 30 is misplaced, and that it ought to be inserted immediately after

ver. 27.

"

in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God, on his part, hath very highly exalted him, and of his favour rewarded him with that name which is above every name: 10 that, in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those on the earth, and those under the earth; 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in mine absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: 13 for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings; 15 that ye may be blameless and harmless, unreproveable children of God, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life; that I may boast in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, nor laboured in vain.

19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy shortly to you, that I may also be of good comfort when I know your affairs. 20 For I have no one likeminded, who will sincerely care for your affairs. 21 For all seek their own things, not the things of Christ Jesus.

22 But ye know the proof of him; that, as a child serveth a father, he hath served with me as to the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him forthwith, as soon as I shall see how the things concerning me will end. 24 But I trust in the Lord, that I myself also shall come shortly. 25 Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-labourer, and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my wants. 26 For he greatly longed after you all, and was full of anguish, because ye had heard that he had been sick.

27 For indeed he was sick near to death: but God had pity on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all 17 YEA, if I be even poured joy; and hold such in reputaout upon the sacrifice and pub-tion: 50 because for the work lic offering of your faith, I joy, [of Christ] he was and rejoice with you all: 18 death, having hazarded his life, and in the same manner do ye to fill up what remained behind also joy, and rejoice with me. of your service towards me.

near to

CH. III. 1 FINALLY, my breth-1 by any means I might attain ren, rejoice in the Lord. To to the resurrection of the dead. write the same things to you 12 Not that I have already is not grievous to me, and is safe for you.

attained, nor am I already perfected: but I still pursue, that verily I may lay hold on that for which indeed I was laid hold on by Christ.*

2 BEWARE of dogs, beware of evil-doers, beware of the concision. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God 13 Brethren, I count not mywith our spirit, and glory in self to have laid hold on the Christ Jesus, and have no con- prize: but one thing I do; forfidence in the flesh: 4 though getting the things which are be-' I might have confidence even hind, and reaching forth to the in the flesh. If any other one things which are before, 14 I seem to have confidence in the press towards the goal, for the flesh, I have more: 5 circum- prize of the heavenly calling cised the eighth day, of the of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let race of Israel, of the tribe of us therefore, as many as are Benjamin, a Hebrew of He-perfect men, think thus: and brews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning righteousness, which cometh by the law, blameless.

if in any thing ye think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 However, as far as we have reached, let us walk therein.

17 Brethren, be joint-imitators of me, and mark those who so walk, as ye have us for an example. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now I tell you, even weep

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count that all things are loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: (for whom I haveing, that they are the enemies of suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse that I might gain Christ, 9 and might be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, a righteousness which upon this faith, is from God :) 10 that I might know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the partaking of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death; 11 if

the cross of Christ; 19 whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame: who mind earthly things. 20 For our citi. zenship is in heaven; whence we also look for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will change our debased body, that it may be of like form with his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able to subject even all things to himself.

So Macknight. The allusions here are to the Grecian gymnastic games.

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