to enfold in the arms · verb — present middle or passive deponent indicative, 3rd person plural
you
ὑμᾶςhymâs
G5209
you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
chiefly
μάλισταmalista
G3122
(adverbially) most (in the greatest degree) or particul… · adverb
are
οἱhoi
G3588
the (sometimes to be supplied · article — nominative plural masculine
of
ἐκek
G1537
literal or figurative · preposition
Caesar’s
ΚαίσαροςKaisaros
G2541
Cæsar · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
household
οἰκίας.¶oikias
G3614
properly · noun — genitive singular feminine
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
Philippians 1:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
Romans 16:16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.
Acts 9:13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Hebrews 13:24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.
1 Peter 5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
3 John 1:14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Philippians 4:20–end
The apostle concludes the epistle in these verses,
1. With praises to God: Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever, Amen, Phi 4:20. Observe, (1.) God is to be considered by us as our Father: Now unto God and our Father. It is a great condescension and favour in God to own the relation of Father to sinners, and allow us to say to him, Our Father; and it is a title peculiar to the gospel dispensation. It is also a great privilege and encouragement to us to consider him as our Father, as one so nearly related and who bears so tender an affection towards us. We should look upon God, under all our weaknesses and fears, not as a tyrant or an enemy, but as a Father, who is disposed t…
they that are of CÃ&brvbrsar's household--the slaves and dependents of Nero who had been probably converted through Paul's teaching while he was a prisoner in the PrÃ&brvbrtorian barrack attached to the palace. Philippi was a Roman "colony," hence there might arise a tie between the citizens of the mother city and those of the colony; especially between those of both cities who were Christians, converted as many of them were by the same apostle, and under like circumstances, he having been imprisoned at Philippi, as he now is at Rome.
Adam Clarke on Philippians 4:22
All the saints - All the Christians now at Rome.
They that are of Caesar's household - Nero was at this time emperor of Rome: a more worthless, cruel, and diabolic wretch never disgraced the name or form of man; yet in his family there were Christians: but whether this relates to the members of the imperial family, or to guards, or courtiers, or to servants, we cannot tell. If even some of his slaves were converted to Christianity, it would he sufficiently marvellous. Converts to Christianity in this family there certainly were; and this shows how powerfully the Divine word had been preached and spread. That the Empress Poppaea may have been favourably inclined to Christianity is possible; f…
Many apparently have believed even from Caesar's household. These are people who would otherwise have walked proudly and thought of nothing but Caesar. The power of the gospel has been revealed to these people. Many others who have believed are humble people. He equally greets them all, humbly and affably, wherever they are. The word "especially" in relation to "those of Caesar's household" makes it apparent that they are taking pains to be pleasing in service.
"All the saints salute you, especially they that are of Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." He elevated them and strengthened them, by showing that his preaching had reached even to the king's household. For if those who were in the king's palace despised all things for the sake of the King of Heaven, far more ought they to do this. And this too was a proof of the love of Paul, and that he had told many things of them, and said great things of them, whence he had even led those who were in the palace to a longing for them, so that those who had never seen them saluted them. Especially because the faithful were then in affliction, his love was great. And those who were absent from each other were closely conjoined together as if real limbs. And the poor man was similarly disposed toward the rich, and the rich toward the poor, and there was no preeminence, in that they were all equally hated and cast out, and that for the same cause. For as, if captives taken from divers cities should arise and come to the same towns, they eagerly embrace each other, their common calamity binding them together; thus too at that time they had great love one toward another, the communion of their afflictions and persecutions uniting them.
These opinions, Florinus, that I may speak in mild terms, are not of sound doctrine; these opinions are not consonant to the Church, and involve their votaries in the utmost impiety; these opinions, even the heretics beyond the Church's pale have never ventured to broach; these opinions, those presbyters who preceded us, and who were conversant with the apostles, did not hand down to thee. For, while I was yet a boy, I saw thee in Lower Asia with Polycarp, distinguishing thyself in the royal court, and endeavouring to gain his approbation. For I have a more vivid recollection of what occurred at that time than of recent events (inasmuch as the experiences of childhood, keeping pace with the growth of the soul, become incorporated with it); so that I can even describe the place where the blessed Polycarp used to sit and discourse-his going out, too, and his coming in-his general mode of life and personal appearance, together with the discourses which he delivered to the people; also how he would speak of his familiar intercourse with John, and with the rest of those who had seen the Lord; and how he would call their words to remembrance. Whatsoever things he had heard from them respecting the Lord, both with regard to His miracles and His teaching, Polycarp having thus received [information] from the eye-witnesses of the Word of life, would recount them all in harmony with the Scriptures. These things, through, God's mercy which was upon me, I then listened to attentively, and treasured them up not on paper, but in my heart; and I am continually, by God's grace, revolving these things accurately in my mind.
Dictionary and topics
Caesar — The title assumed by the Roman emperors after Julius Caesar. In the New Testament this title is given to various emperors as sovereigns of Judaea without their accompanying distinctive proper names…
Caesar · 4. NERO — 4. NERO
Roman Empire · .Nero — .Nero
Roman Empire, The · Emperors of, mentioned: Nero — Emperors of, mentioned: Nero
Rome · Christians in — Christians in
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
John Gill on Philippians 4:22
All the saints salute you,.... The members of the church at Rome,
chiefly they that are of Caesar's household; for by means of the apostle's bonds, which were made manifest in the emperor's palace, Christ was made known to some there likewise; though Nero, the then reigning emperor, was a very wicked prince, and his court a very debauched one, yet the grace of God reached some there: who these were cannot be said; as for the conjecture that Seneca the philosopher, Nero's master, was one of them, it is without foundation; the eight letters of his to the Apostle Paul, and the six letters of the apostle to him, are spurious, though of ancient date, being made mention of by Austin and Jerom (g)…
Philippians 4:15-23
15. Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
15. Nostis autem et vos Philippenses, quod initio Evangelii, qunado exivi ex Macedonia, nulla mecum Ecclesia in ratione dati et accepti, nisi vos soli.
16. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.
16. Nam et Tessalonicam semel atque iterum mihi, quod opus erat, misistis:
17. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
17. Non quia requiram donum, sed requiro fructum, qui exsuperet in rationem vestram.
18. But I have all, an…
Those in Caesar’s household were believers employed in the service of the Roman government—perhaps those whom Paul had evangelized while in prison. They might have been especially close to Paul and concerned for him in prison (see 1:13).