Philippians 1:4

Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:1-7 The highest honour of the most eminent ministers is, to be servants of Christ. And those who are not really saints on earth, never will be saints in heaven. Out of Christ, the best saints are sinners, and unable to stand before God. There is no peace without grace. Inward peace springs from a sense of Divine favour. And there is no grace and peace but from God our Father, the fountain and origin of all blessings. At Philippi the apostle was evil entreated, and saw little fruit of his labour; yet he remembers Philippi with joy. We must thank our God for the graces and comforts, gifts and usefulness of others, as we receive the benefit, and God receives the glory. The work of grace will never be perfected till the day of Jesus Christ, the day of his appearance. But we may always be confident God will perform his good work, in every soul wherein he has really begun it by regeneration; though we must not trust in outward appearances, nor in any thing but a new creation to holiness. People are dear to their ministers, when they receive benefit by their ministry. Fellow-sufferers in the cause of God should be dear one to another.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Always - There is much emphasis in the expressions which are used here. Paul labors to show them that he never forgot them; that he always remembered them in his prayers.

In every prayer of mine - This was a proof of particular and special affection, that while there were so many objects demanding his prayers, and so many other churches which he had founded, he never forgot them. The person or object that we remember in every prayer must be very dear to the heart.

For you all - Not for the church in general, but for the individual members. "He industriously repeats the word 'all,' that he might show that he loved them all equally well, and that he might the more successfully excite them to the manifestation of the same love and benevolence" - Wetstein.

Making request with joy - With joy at your consistent walk and benevolent lives - mingling thanksgiving with my prayers in view of your holy walk.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

4. making request—Translate, "making my request."

for you all—The frequent repetition in this Epistle of "all" with "you," marks that Paul desires to declare his love for all alike, and will not recognize any divisions among them.

with joy—the characteristic feature in this Epistle, as love is in that to the Ephesians (compare Php 1:18; Php 2:2, 19, 28; 3:1; 4:1, 4). Love and joy are the two first-fruits of the Spirit. Joy gives especial animation to prayers. It marked his high opinion of them, that there was almost everything in them to give him joy, and almost nothing to give him pain.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

As in praising of God, the Author of all that grace they had received, in every solemn prayer, so in continuing his fervent and assiduous requests unto God always, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, for them all: the term all being used three times emphatically: compare Luke 2:37 Romans 1:9.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Always in every prayer of mine for you all,.... The apostle was a praying believer, and a praying minister: notwithstanding all his gifts, and graces, and high attainments, he was not above the work and duty of prayer, and in which he was sensible he stood in need of the assistance and direction of the Spirit of God, As soon as he was converted he prayed, and continued to do so without ceasing, as he himself directs; he was constant and assiduous at the throne of grace, and was concerned for others, as well as himself, for all the churches, and for this church, and all the saints in it,

Making request with joy; for what God had done for them, and continued with them. Requests are to be made known to God with thanksgiving. When we request a favour of him, it becomes us to return thanks for what we have received from him. Thanksgiving is a branch of prayer; as we have always mercies to ask for, we have always mercies to be thankful for.

Geneva Study Bible

Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Php 1:4. Various divisions of these words have been proposed, some referring πάντοτε … ὑμῶν to the preceding verse, others taking πάντοτε … μου together, and regarding the remainder of the sentence as a connected whole. It seems least arbitrary to find in Php 1:4 a complete thought. The prominence of πᾶς shows the exuberance of his joy in them.—δεήσει. A special aspect of προσευχή, that of entreaty for the satisfaction of some known want; cf. Ell[35] on 1 Timothy 2:1.—μετὰ χαρᾶς. The undertone of the whole letter.—δ. ποιούμενος. An interesting parallel in Papyr. of Faijûm, 172 A.D., δικαίαν δέ[ησ]ιν ποιούμενος (Dsm[36], NBS[37], p. 78), in the general sense of “asking” (cf. δεήσεις ποιεῖσθαι, Luke 5:33, 1 Timothy 2:1).

[35] Ellicott.

[36] Deissmann (BS. = Bibelstudien, NBS. = Neue Bibelstudien).

[37] Neue Bibelstudien

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4. every prayer] every request. The Greek word is narrower than that, e. g. Ephesians 1:16, which includes the whole action of worship. See below on Php 4:6.

for you all] See, for the same phrase, or kindred words, Php 1:7-8; Php 1:25, Php 2:17; Php 2:26. We seem to see, in this emphasis on the word “all,” a gentle reference to the danger of partizanship and divisions at Philippi. See Introduction, p. 19.

request] Lit. and better, the request just mentioned.

with joy] These words strike the key-note of a main strain of the Epistle.—They are here the emphatic words of the sentence. He illustrates the assurance of his thankfulness for them by saying that every request for them is lighted up with happiness. For St Paul’s joy over his converts’ consistency cp. 2 Corinthians 2:3; 2 Corinthians 7:4; 2 Corinthians 7:13; below, Php 2:2, Php 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; 1 Thessalonians 3:9; Philemon 1:7.

Bengel's Gnomen

Php 1:4. Ὑπὲρ, for) Construe it with praying.—μετὰ χαρᾶς, with joy) The sum of the epistle is, I rejoice, rejoice ye. This epistle on joy aptly follows that to the Ephesians, where love reigns; for joy is perpetually mentioned, Php 1:18, etc.; likewise ch. Php 2:2; Php 2:19; Php 2:28, Php 3:1, Php 4:1; Php 4:4. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy. Joy particularly gives animation to prayers.—τὴν δέησιν, [my request], the prayer) of which he had just spoken.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy. Perhaps the first part of this verse is better joined with Ver. 3, "I thank my God... always in every prayer of mine for you all;" so Bishop Lightfoot The Greek word for "prayer" and "request "is the same, better rendered "my supplication," he as the R.V.; it implies not merely a lifting up of the heart to God, but an earnest entreaty for a necessary gift. We meet now for the first time with that "joy" which is the keynote of this Epistle. "Summa epistolae, Gaudeo; gaudete;" so Bengel, who continues, "This Epistle of joy well follows that to the Ephesians, where love reigns. 'The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy.' Joy gives life to prayer." Philippians 1:4

Vincent's Word Studies

Prayer (δεήσει)

Rev., better, supplication. See on Luke 5:33.

For you all

Connect with every prayer of mine.

Request (τὴν δέησιν)

Rev., better, my supplication. The article refers to every supplication.

With joy

Joy is the keynote of this epistle. Bengel says: "The sum of the epistle is, 'I rejoice, rejoice ye."' See Philippians 1:18, Philippians 1:25; Philippians 2:2, Philippians 2:17, Philippians 2:18, Philippians 2:28, Philippians 2:29; Philippians 3:1; Philippians 4:1, Philippians 4:4, Philippians 4:10.