10 for your proving the things that differ, that ye may be pure and offenceless -- to a day of Christ,
to the establishing your hearts blameless in sanctification before our God and Father, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
and the God of the peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved unblameably in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ;
having been confident of this very thing, that He who did begin in you a good work, will perform `it' till a day of Jesus Christ,
who also shall confirm you unto the end -- unblamable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ;
and in this I do exercise myself, to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always.
Beloved, every spirit believe not, but prove the spirits, if of God they are, because many false prophets have gone forth to the world;
for we are not as the many, adulterating the word of God, but as of sincerity -- but as of God; in the presence of God, in Christ we do speak.
for even owing to be teachers, because of the time, again ye have need that one teach you what `are' the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, and ye have become having need of milk, and not of strong food, for every one who is partaking of milk `is' unskilled in the word of righteousness -- for he is an infant, and of perfect men is the strong food, who because of the use are having the senses exercised, unto the discernment both of good and of evil.
the one, indeed, of rivalry the Christ do proclaim, not purely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds,
that he might present it to himself the assembly in glory, not having spot or wrinkle, or any of such things, but that it may be holy and unblemished;
and, being true in love, we may increase to Him `in' all things, who is the head -- the Christ;
for those such `are' false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ, and no wonder -- for even the Adversary doth transform himself into a messenger of light; no great thing, then, if also his ministrants do transform themselves as ministrants of righteousness -- whose end shall be according to their works.
not according to command do I speak, but because of the diligence of others, and of your love proving the genuineness,
for every one who is doing wicked things hateth the light, and doth not come unto the light, that his works may not be detected;
`And now, fear ye Jehovah, and serve Him, in perfection and in truth, and turn aside the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve ye Jehovah;
For the ear doth try words, And the palate tasteth to eat.
Butter and honey he doth eat, When he knoweth to refuse evil, and to fix on good. For before the youth doth know To refuse evil, and to fix on good, Forsaken is the land thou art vexed with, because of her two kings.
Ye who are hating good, and loving evil, Taking violently their skin from off them, And their flesh from off their bones,
and he having turned, said to Peter, `Get thee behind me, adversary! thou art a stumbling-block to me, for thou dost not mind the things of God, but the things of men.'
and whoever may cause to stumble one of those little ones who are believing in me, it is better for him that a weighty millstone may be hanged upon his neck, and he may be sunk in the depth of the sea. `Wo to the world from the stumbling-blocks! for there is a necessity for the stumbling-blocks to come, but wo to that man through whom the stumbling-block doth come!
And Peter answering said to him, `Even if all shall be stumbled at thee, I will never be stumbled.'
Jesus saw Nathanael coming unto him, and he saith concerning him, `Lo, truly an Israelite, in whom guile is not;'
And if what I do not will, this I do, I consent to the law that `it is' good,
for I delight in the law of God according to the inward man,
The love unfeigned: abhorring the evil; cleaving to the good;
for the sake of victuals cast not down the work of God; all things, indeed, `are' pure, but evil `is' to the man who is eating through stumbling. Right `it is' not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to `do anything' in which thy brother doth stumble, or is made to fall, or is weak.
wherefore, if victuals cause my brother to stumble, I may eat no flesh -- to the age -- that my brother I may not cause to stumble.
become offenceless, both to Jews and Greeks, and to the assembly of God;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Philippians 1
Commentary on Philippians 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 1
He begins with the inscription and benediction (v. 1, 2). He gives thanks for the saints at Philippi (v. 3-6). He speaks of his great affection and concern for their spiritual welfare (v. 7, 8), his prayers for them (v. 9-11), his care to prevent their offence at his sufferings (v. 12-20), his readiness to glorify Christ by life or death (v. 21-26), and then concludes with a double exhortation to strictness and constancy (v. 27-30).
Phl 1:1-2
We have here the inscription and benediction. Observe,
Phl 1:3-6
The apostle proceeds after the inscription and benediction to thanksgiving for the saints at Philippi. He tells them what it was he thanked God for, upon their account. Observe here,
Phl 1:7-8
The apostle expresses the ardent affection he had for them, and his concern for their spiritual welfare: I have you in my heart, v. 7. He loved them as his own soul, and they lay near his heart. He thought much of them, and was in care about them. Observe,
Phl 1:9-11
These verses contain the prayers he put up for them. Paul often let his friends know what it was he begged of God for them, that they might know what to beg for themselves and be directed in their own prayers, and that they might be encouraged to hope they should receive from God the quickening, strengthening, everlasting, comforting grace, which so powerful an intercessor as Paul asked of God for them. It is an encouragement to us to know that we are prayed for by our friends, who, we have reason to think, have an interest at the throne of grace. It was intended likewise for their direction in their walk, and that they might labour to answer his prayers for them; for by this it would appear that God had answered them. Paul, in praying thus for them, expected good concerning them. It is an inducement to us to do our duty, that we may not disappoint the expectations of praying friends and ministers. He prayed,
Phl 1:12-20
We see here the care the apostle takes to prevent their being offended at his sufferings. He was now a prisoner at Rome; this might be a stumbling-block to those who had received the gospel by his ministry. They might be tempted to think, If this doctrine were indeed of God, God would not suffer one who was so active and instrumental in preaching and propagating it to be thrown by as a despised broken vessel. They might be shy of owning this doctrine, lest they should be involved in the same trouble themselves. Now to take off the offence of the cross, he expounds this dark and hard chapter of his sufferings, and makes it very easy and intelligible, and reconcilable to the wisdom and goodness of God who employed him.
Phl 1:21-26
We have here an account of the life and death of blessed Paul: his life was Christ, and his death was gain. Observe,
Phl 1:27-30
The apostle concludes the chapter with two exhortations:-