Philippians 1:27
Citizens worthy of the gospel
- The gospel’s word εὐαγγέλιον euangelion · gospel
Original
Translations
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending together as one for the faith of the gospel,
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Only conduct yourselves worthily of the good news of the Christ, that, whether having come and seen you, whether being absent I may hear of the things concerning you, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one soul, striving together for the faith of the good news,
오직 너희는 그리스도 복음에 합당하게 생활하라 이는 내가 너희를 가 보나 떠나 있으나 너희가 일심으로 서서 한 뜻으로 복음의 신앙을 위하여 협력하는 것과
오직 너희 행실을 그리스도의 복음에 합당하게 하라. 그리하면 너희에 대한 일들 곧 내가 가서 너희를 보든지 떠나 있든지 너희가 한 영 안에 굳게 서서 복음의 믿음을 위하여 한마음으로 함께 싸우며
Commentaries
Matthew Henry on Phil 1:27-30 as a whole
Those who profess the gospel of Christ, should live as becomes those who believe gospel truths, submit to gospel laws, and depend upon gospel promises. The original word "conversation" denotes the conduct of citizens who seek the credit, safety, peace, and prosperity of their…
Read the whole commentary →Wesley Phil 1:27
Only - Be careful for this, and nothing else. Stand fast in one spirit - With the most perfect unanimity. Striving together - With united strength and endeavours. For the faith of the gospel - For all the blessings revealed and promised therein.
Read the whole commentary →
Note
Having said that Christ will be exalted in his body whether he lives or dies, Paul asks one thing of the Philippians: that their life together be worthy of the gospel of Christ. The word "gospel" appears twice in the verse.
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending together as one for the faith of the gospel,
Philippians 1:27Paul hopes to come to Philippi again (1:25–26), but that is not in his hands. So he tells them what to hold to whether he is with them or not. The sentence runs on into verse 28: they are not to be frightened by those who oppose them, and their courage will be "a clear sign" of salvation (Philippians 1:28). Verses 29 and 30 add that they are in the same struggle Paul is in.
The first is a genitive after the adverb axiōs, "worthily": the gospel is the measure of their life. The verb rendered "conduct yourselves" is politeuesthe, from , "to live as a citizen." Philippi was "the Roman colony" (Acts 16:12), and the men who dragged Paul before its magistrates spoke as "us Romans" (Acts 16:21). To believers in such a city Paul speaks of another citizenship: "our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20), using the noun politeuma from the same root. The second euangelion depends on "faith": they are to strive together for the faith that the gospel proclaims. "Contending together," from , pictures athletes competing side by side, and Paul uses it again in 4:3 of two women who "contended at my side for the gospel."
The KJV reads, "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ." In older English "conversation" meant one's whole manner of life, not talk. The BSB's "conduct yourselves" says it in today's words; neither brings out the picture of citizenship. Matthew Henry does: "The original word ‘conversation’ denotes the conduct of citizens who seek the credit, safety, peace, and prosperity of their city" Matthew Henry. The LSV keeps the second phrase literally: "with one soul, striving together for the faith of the good news."
Wesley reads "Only" as "Be careful for this, and nothing else," and "the faith of the gospel" as "all the blessings revealed and promised therein" Wesley. Matthew Henry adds a word for a divided church: "There may be oneness of heart and affection among Christians, where there is diversity of judgment about many things" Matthew Henry.
In the second or third century the Epistle to Diognetus said of Christians that they live on earth but are citizens of heaven Epistle to Diognetus 5–6. What Paul wrote to the believers in a Roman colony became one of the church's oldest ways of understanding itself.
A life worthy of the gospel is not a private virtue: it is citizens of heaven standing in one spirit and contending side by side for the same good news.
Source
- The early church, The Epistle to Diognetus 5–6 — 2nd or 3rd century. Christians are in the world but not of it; what the soul is in the body, they are in the world. They live on earth, but are citizens of heaven (ch. 5).