Beyond Suffering Bible Sampler - Flipbook - Page 16
PhiliPPians 4
righteous through faith in Christ.* For God’s
way of making us right with himself depends
on faith. 10I want to know Christ and experi
ence the mighty power that raised him from
the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing
in his death, 11 so that one way or another
I will experience the resurrection from the
dead!
Pressing toward the Goal
I don’t mean to say that I have already
achieved these things or that I have already
reached perfection. But I press on to pos
sess that perfection for which Christ Jesus
first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and
sisters, I have not achieved it,* but I focus
on this one thing: Forgetting the past and
looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press
on to reach the end of the race and receive
the heavenly prize for which God, through
Christ Jesus, is calling us.
15
Let all who are spiritually mature agree on
these things. If you disagree on some point,
I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But
we must hold on to the progress we have al
ready made.
17
Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your
lives after mine, and learn from those who
follow our example. 18 For I have told you
often before, and I say it again with tears in
my eyes, that there are many whose conduct
shows they are really enemies of the cross
of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction.
Their god is their appetite, they brag about
shameful things, and they think only about
this life here on earth. 20 But we are citizens
of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.
And we are eagerly waiting for him to return
as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal
bodies and change them into glorious bod
ies like his own, using the same power with
which he will bring everything under his
control.
12
CONNECTION POIN TS
4:48 Anxiety It is natural for us to feel anxious
when we are in pain or feel helpless while a
loved one struggles. So what can we do about
our anxiety and worry? Paul understood the
human tendency to let our thoughts spiral
downward as we focus on the negative. He
urges us to focus our minds on things with
eternal value and release our worry through
prayer—prayer that leads us into deeper spiritual territory, where God can transform us.
8
4
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters,*
stay true to the Lord. I love you and long
to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy
and the crown I receive for my work.
Words of Encouragement
2
Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche.
Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle
your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true
partner,* to help these two women, for they
worked hard with me in telling others the
Good News. They worked along with Clem
ent and the rest of my coworkers, whose
names are written in the Book of Life.
4
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it
again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you
are considerate in all you do. Remember, the
Lord is coming soon.*
6
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray
about everything. Tell God what you need,
and thank him for all he has done. 7Then you
will experience God’s peace, which exceeds
anything we can understand. His peace will
guard your hearts and minds as you live in
Christ Jesus.
8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one
final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is
true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and
lovely, and admirable. Think about things
that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9Keep
putting into practice all you learned and re
ceived from me—everything you heard from
me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace
will be with you.
Paul’s Thanks for Their Gifts
10
How I praise the Lord that you are con
cerned about me again. I know you have al
ways been concerned for me, but you didn’t
have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was
ever in need, for I have learned how to be
content with whatever I have. 12 I know how
to live on almost nothing or with everything.
I have learned the secret of living in every
situation, whether it is with a full stomach
or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do
everything through Christ,* who gives me
strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to
share with me in my present difficulty.
15
As you know, you Philippians were
the only ones who gave me financial help
when I first brought you the Good News
and then traveled on from Macedonia. No
other church did this. 16 Even when I was in
3:9 Or through the faithfulness of Christ. 3:13 Some
manuscripts read not yet achieved it. 4:1 Greek brothers;
also in 4:8. 4:3 Or loyal Syzygus. 4:5 Greek the Lord is
near. 4:13 Greek through the one.
