Philippians 1:27

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;

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Only	μόνον mónon	G3440	merely
be	πολιτεύεσθε, politeuesthe	G4176	to behave as a citizen (figuratively) · verb — present middle or passive deponent imperative, 2nd person plural
becometh	ἀξίως axiōs	G516	appropriately · adverb
gospel	εὐαγγελίου euangeliou	G2098	a good message · noun — genitive singular neuter
Christ	Χριστοῦ Christou	G5547	anointed · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
that	ἵνα ina	G2443	compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
whether	εἴτε eite	G1535	if too · conditional particle
come	ἐλθὼν elthōn	G2064	to come or go (in a great variety of applications · verb — second aorist active participle, nominative singular masculine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
see	ἰδὼν idōn	G1492	used only in certain past tenses · verb — second aorist active participle, nominative singular masculine
you	ὑμᾶς hymâs	G5209	you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
else	εἴτε eite	G1535	if too · conditional particle
absent	ἀπὼν apōn	G548	to be away · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
hear	ἀκούω akouō	G191	to hear (in various senses) · verb — present active subjunctive, 1st person singular
your	ὑμῶν hymōn	G5216	of (from or concerning) you
affairs	περὶ peri	G4012	properly · preposition
that	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
fast	στήκετε stēkete	G4739	to be stationary · verb — present active indicative, 2nd person plural
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
one	ἑνὶ heni	G1520	one · adjective — dative singular neuter
spirit	πνεύματι, pneumati	G4151	a current of air · noun — dative singular neuter
with	ψυχῇ psuchēa	G5590	breath · noun — dative singular feminine
one	μιᾷ mia	G1520	one · adjective — dative singular feminine
mind	ψυχή psychḗ	G5590	breath
together	συναθλοῦντες sunathlountes	G4866	to wrestle in company with · verb — present active participle, nominative plural masculine
faith	πίστει pistei	G4102	persuasion · noun — dative singular feminine
gospel	εὐαγγελίου, euangeliou	G2098	a good message · noun — genitive singular neuter

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among yo…
2 Peter 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Philippians 2:1-2 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that y…
1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to plea…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Philippians 1:27–end

The apostle concludes the chapter with two exhortations: - I. He exhorts them to strictness of conversation (Phi 1:27): Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ. Observe, Those who profess the gospel of Christ should have their conversation as becomes the gospel, or in a suitableness and agreeableness to it. Let it be as becomes those who believe gospel truths, submit to gospel laws, and depend upon gospel promises; and with an answerable faith, holiness, and comfort. Let it be in all respects as those who belong to the kingdom of God among men, and are members and subjects of it. It is an ornament to our profession when our conversation is of a piece with it. - That w…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Philippians 1:27

Only--Whatever happens as to my coming to you, or not, make this your one only care. By supposing this or that future contingency, many persuade themselves they will be such as they ought to be, but it is better always without evasion to perform present duties under present circumstances [BENGEL]. let your conversation be--(Compare Phi 3:20). The Greek implies, "Let your walk as citizens (namely, of the heavenly state; 'the city of the living God,' Heb 12:22, 'the heavenly Jerusalem,' 'fellow citizens of the saints,' Eph 2:19) be," &c. I . . . see . . . hear--so Phi 1:30. "Hear," in order to include both alternatives, must include the meaning know. your affairs--your state. in one sp…

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Adam Clarke on Philippians 1:27

Let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel - The apostle considers the Church at Philippi as a free or imperial city, which possesses great honors, dignities, and privileges; and he exhorts them to act, αξιως, worthy of or suitably to those honors and privileges. This is the idea that is expressed by the word πολιτευεσθε, act according to the nature of your political situation, the citizenship and privileges which you possess in consequence of your being free inhabitants of Christ's imperial city, the Church. The apostle resumes the same metaphor, Phi 3:20 : ἡμων - το πολιτευμα εν ουρανοις ὑπαρχει· For our citizenship is in heaven; but in this last verse he puts heaven in the place…

The Church Fathers

Paul did not write this without reason. He was aware that certain people had started to think too highly of themselves. This was indeed due to the high excellence of their own virtue. For this reason he advises them toward concord and harmony, to live a life worthy of the gospel.
— Theodoret of Cyrus, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.27-28

There is one Spirit that prevails when we believe the gospel wisely and live in accordance with it. This is why he calls them to "stand firm in one Spirit." The soul's task is to overcome contrary feelings in the body. Therefore he in effect is calling them to "stand in one Spirit and fight together with one soul with the faith of the gospel."
— Gaius Marius Victorinus, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.27

The summing up of one's whole life for a Christian is this, to conduct oneself according to Christ's gospel, to announce his grace steadily both to oneself and others, to have hope in him, to do all that one does according to his commands. For this is what it means to "conduct oneself in a manner that is worthy of Christ's gospel." A person can live honestly and uprightly, but this is not adequate to Paul's meaning. Rather we are to conduct ourselves according to Christ's gospel regardless of what happens and to do so in a worthy manner, living according to Christ's precepts and doing what Christ wants.
— Gaius Marius Victorinus, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.27

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Conversation — Generally the goings out and in of social intercourse (Eph. 2:3; 4:22; R.V., “manner of life”); one’s deportment or course of life. This word is never used in Scripture in the sense of verbal…
Faith — Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of…
Commandments · PRECEPTS OF PAUL. EXPLICITLY STATED OR IMPLIED IN DIDACTIC EPISTLES — PRECEPTS OF PAUL. EXPLICITLY STATED OR IMPLIED IN DIDACTIC EPISTLES
Conduct, Christian · Striving for the faith — Striving for the faith
Courage · SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Decision · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Fellowship · 1:10;10:16,17;12:13;16:19,20; — 1:10;10:16,17;12:13;16:19,20;
Gospel, The · Those who receive, should: Have their conversation becoming — Those who receive, should: Have their conversation becoming
Perseverance · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Righteousness · 2:17;7:10,11;9:10;10:5;13:5; — 2:17;7:10,11;9:10;10:5;13:5;
Steadfastness · Should be manifested: In striving for the faith of the gospel — Should be manifested: In striving for the faith of the gospel
Unity

Philippians 1:27

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Philippians 1:27–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Philippians 1:27

Adam Clarke on Philippians 1:27

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Philippians 1:27

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Philippians 1:27–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Philippians 1:27

Adam Clarke on Philippians 1:27

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on Philippians 1:27

John Calvin on Philippians 1:27–end

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Philippians 1:27-30