Section 15 of 164:10–20Philippians

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King James VersionPhilippians 4:10–20

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.

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.

For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.

Scripture text: King James Version, Standardized 1769 text. Public domain in the United States.About this Bible text

Philippians 4:10–20

Contentment, Partnership, and God's Provision

Christ strengthens contentment in need and plenty; gifts are worship, not a contract.

Paul rejoices that their concern for him has flourished again. He has learned to be content in whatever situation: how to be brought low and how to abound, how to be full and how to hunger. He can do all things through the one who strengthens him — strength for need and plenty, not a slogan for athletic or financial success.

They did well to share his trouble. No church partnered with him in giving and receiving except the Philippians, even in Thessalonica. He is amply supplied; their gift is a fragrant offering, acceptable to God. God will supply their need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Contentment is learned sufficiency in Christ. It is not a prosperity formula, and God's supply is not a prosperity contract.

Verse 13 is bounded by hunger and fullness; verse 19 follows the gift

Verse 13 is bounded by verses 11–12. Christ supplies strength to be faithful in need and in plenty, not unrestricted achievement. Contentment rests in Christ's strength.

Verse 19 follows worshipful generosity. He names their gift as worship before speaking of God's provision in verse 19. This passage does not teach that Philippians 4:19 guarantees wealth, comfort, reimbursement, or fulfillment of every desire. My God shall supply every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. God is not impoverished, and that trust is not a prosperity transaction.

How this should shape us

Receive help without shame, give without treating God as a vending machine, and stop quoting 4:13 over a contest, a raise, or a deal. Ask Christ for strength to be faithful hungry or full.

Teach it back

Explain Philippians 4:10–20 in your own words. State its main movement, why it appears here, and one boundary on application.

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Go deeper

The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.

Where careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties

How broad is 'all things' in v. 13?

Unlimited ability through Christ

Why it fits: The phrase by itself sounds comprehensive and Christ's power is not small.

Difficulty: The immediate list explicitly defines abasement, abundance, hunger, fullness, and need.

Ability to face every listed circumstance

Why it fits: The grammar flows directly from 'in everything and in all things I have learned' in v. 12.

Difficulty: Application can extend by principle to analogous faithful circumstances, not only Paul's exact list.

Best judgment: The contextual sense is strength for faithfulness across the full range of plenty and deprivation. Analogous application is legitimate; unlimited accomplishment is not.

How certain? very strong

Does v. 19 promise supply because they gave?

A reciprocal reward formula

Why it fits: The promise follows generous giving and accounting language.

Difficulty: Paul rejects seeking the gift, centers God's riches and Christ, and does not promise wealth or a multiplied payment.

Pastoral assurance to generous partners

Why it fits: Paul's assurance responds to a community that supplied him while having needs of its own.

Difficulty: The relationship between generosity and God's care should not be erased.

Best judgment: The promise is contextual assurance, not a transactional formula: the God Paul has known will care for the needs of this generous partner community according to divine riches in Christ.

How certain? strong

Research trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section

King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006

Supports: The KJV wording and immediate English context for Philippians 4:10–20.

eBible/CrossWire eng-kjv2006 USFM, source files dated 2026-08-19, Philippians 4; archive and normalized-corpus SHA-256 values are recorded in the library policy.

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition

Supports: The critically edited Greek wording and punctuation used as the base text for this passage.

Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Phil.txt, Philippians 4, verses within Philippians 4:10–20.

NET Bible — Philippians with translators' notes

Supports: Material English translation choices, syntax notes, and textual variants identified for this passage.

NET Bible, Philippians 4, translator and textual notes attached to the verses in Philippians 4:10–20.

Philippians: A Commentary

Supports: Passage structure, historical setting, Greek analysis, and interpretive alternatives tested against the primary text.

Paul A. Holloway, Philippians: A Commentary (Hermeneia), pp. 185–189.

STEP Bible Data

Supports: A cross-check of the Greek forms and reasonable lexical range for words surfaced to readers.

STEP Bible Data repository, Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Greek lexical records, Philippians 4, verses within Philippians 4:10–20.

Archaeology and the Letters of Paul

Supports: The particular Roman-colony, economic, travel, or gift setting named in the reader explanation; the cited subsection varies with the claim.

Laura Salah Nasrallah, Archaeology and the Letters of Paul, Chapter 4, 'Finance and Abundance in the Letter to the Philippians' through 'Conclusions,' pp. 122–140.

Paul's koinōnia with the Philippians: Societas as a Missionary Funding Strategy

Supports: Only the abstract's claim that Philippian missionary partnership had an active material and economic expression.

Julien M. Ogereau, Paul's koinōnia with the Philippians, publisher abstract only.

Sources for This Section

These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.

Biblical text

King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006

eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society

USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.

Supports: The KJV wording and immediate English context for Philippians 4:10–20.

Exact location: eBible/CrossWire eng-kjv2006 USFM, source files dated 2026-08-19, Philippians 4; archive and normalized-corpus SHA-256 values are recorded in the library policy.

Open source ↗

Greek textual evidence

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition

Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos

Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010

Supports: The critically edited Greek wording and punctuation used as the base text for this passage.

Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Phil.txt, Philippians 4, verses within Philippians 4:10–20.

Open the Philippians Greek text file ↗

Translation and textual notes

NET Bible — Philippians with translators' notes

Biblical Studies Press

Biblical Studies Press, digital edition accessed 2026

Supports: Material English translation choices, syntax notes, and textual variants identified for this passage.

Exact location: NET Bible, Philippians 4, translator and textual notes attached to the verses in Philippians 4:10–20.

Open NET Philippians 4 ↗

A major interpretive source

Philippians: A Commentary

Paul A. Holloway

Fortress Press, Hermeneia, 2017

Supports: Passage structure, historical setting, Greek analysis, and interpretive alternatives tested against the primary text.

Exact location: Paul A. Holloway, Philippians: A Commentary (Hermeneia), pp. 185–189.

Open the book record ↗

Lexical and grammatical evidence

STEP Bible Data

Tyndale House Cambridge

Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026

Supports: A cross-check of the Greek forms and reasonable lexical range for words surfaced to readers.

Exact location: STEP Bible Data repository, Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Greek lexical records, Philippians 4, verses within Philippians 4:10–20.

Open source ↗

Historical and archaeological evidence

Archaeology and the Letters of Paul

Laura Salah Nasrallah

Oxford University Press, 2019

Supports: The particular Roman-colony, economic, travel, or gift setting named in the reader explanation; the cited subsection varies with the claim.

Exact location: Laura Salah Nasrallah, Archaeology and the Letters of Paul, Chapter 4, 'Finance and Abundance in the Letter to the Philippians' through 'Conclusions,' pp. 122–140.

Open source ↗

Historical and social evidence

Paul's koinōnia with the Philippians: Societas as a Missionary Funding Strategy

Julien M. Ogereau

New Testament Studies 60.3, Cambridge University Press, pp. 360–378, 2014

Supports: Only the abstract's claim that Philippian missionary partnership had an active material and economic expression.

Exact location: Julien M. Ogereau, Paul's koinōnia with the Philippians, publisher abstract only.

Open source ↗

Philippians 4:10–20, King James Version

Christ strengthens contentment in need and plenty; gifts are worship, not a contract.

Verse 13 is bounded by hunger and fullness; verse 19 follows the gift

How this should shape us

Teach it back

Go deeper

How broad is 'all things' in v. 13?

Does v. 19 promise supply because they gave?

King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition

NET Bible — Philippians with translators' notes

Philippians: A Commentary

STEP Bible Data

Archaeology and the Letters of Paul

Paul's koinōnia with the Philippians: Societas as a Missionary Funding Strategy