4 1My dear brothers and sisters, I love you and want to see you. You bring me joy and make me proud of you. Continue following the Lord as I have told you.2Euodia and Syntyche, you both belong to the Lord, so please agree with each other. 3For this I make a special request to my friend who has served with me so faithfully: Help these women. They worked hard with me in telling people the Good Newsa, together with Clement and others who worked with me. Their names are written in the book of lifeb. 4Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy. 5Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon. 6Don't worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. 7And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God's peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human mindsc. 8Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. 9And do what you learned and received from me - what I told you and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you. 14But it was good that you helped me when I needed help. 15You people in Philippi remember when I first told the Good Newsa there. When I left Macedoniad, you were the only churche that gave me help. 16Several times you sent me things I needed when I was in Thessalonica. 17Really, it is not that I want to get gifts from you. But I want you to have the benefit that comes from giving. 18I have everything I need. I have even more than I need. I have all I need because Epaphroditus brought your gift to me. Your gift is like a sweet-smelling sacrificef offered to God. God accepts that sacrifice and it pleases him. 19My God will use his glorious riches to give you everything you need. He will do this through Christ Jesus. 20Gloryg to our God and Father forever and ever. Amenh. 21Give our greetings to God's people there - to each one who belongs to Christ Jesus. Those in God's family who are with me send you their greetings. 22And greetings to you from all of God's people here, especially those who work in the service of the emperori. 23The gracej of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. aGood News In the Gospels this is usually the news about the coming of God’s kingdom (see above) or its representative Jesus the Messiah. In other places it is, more specifically, the news or message of God’s grace - that he has made a way through Jesus Christ for people to be made right with him and enjoy his blessings now and forever. b4:3 book of life God’s book that contains the names of his chosen people. See Rev. 3:5; 21:27. c4:7 can do … minds Literally, “surpasses (is better than) every mind,” which could also have the meaning “is beyond all understanding.” dMacedonia The northern part of Greece, where Thessalonica and Philippi were. echurch Literally, “assembly” or “community,” the people who have been brought together as God’s family through their common faith in Jesus Christ. The word often refers to a group of believers who meet together or who live in the same area, but it is also used to mean the worldwide community of all believers in Christ. fsacrifice To offer a gift to God as an expression of worship, thanksgiving, or payment for sin. Also, the gift that is offered. In the Old Testament it was usually a special animal that was killed and burned on an altar. The Old Testament sacrifices offered for sins were symbolic of the perfect sacrifice that God himself would provide through Jesus Christ. Jesus gave his own life as a sacrifice to pay for the sins of all people. See Heb. 10:1-14. gglory A word that refers to the special qualities of God. Often it means brightness, referring to the way he appears to people. Sometimes it means majesty or power, referring to a kind of greatness that cannot be compared to anything in human experience. It can also include the ideas of wealth, honor, fame, or respect, especially in expressions of praise. hAmen A Hebrew word meaning “That’s right,” “True,” or “Yes.” It is used to express strong agreement with what has been said. iemperor Caesar, the ruler (leader) of the Roman empire. jgrace The love and kindness that God shows in his complete willingness to give people favors he does not owe them and blessings they don’t deserve. |