Philippians 1:3
in Philippians 1I thank my God every time I remember you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you,
KJV
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
⋯
This verse in Philippians 1
Commentary
10 notes on this verseTHE Epistle to the Philippians is the epistle ofjoy. Bengel sums it up in two Latin words, which, being interpreted, signify, "I rejoice, rejoice you." Here we come to that sweet fruit of the Spirit which we call "Joy." The statement Paul makes about the Philippian Church shows to what a high estate a Church can come. Beloved, we of the Tabernacle never wish to be like the Church in Galatia which was bewitched by false teachers who led away the people from the vital doctrine of justification by faith.
This site's exposition
every time I remember you
on Philippians 1:3-4
Paul gives thanks from a Roman cell, I thank my God every time I remember you. The joy that runs through the letter appears here first, I always pray with joy.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Paul praises God every time he remembers the clergy of Philippi, who received the proclamation of the gospel cordially and have remained uncorrupted up to the present.
"I thank my God," he says, "upon all my remembrance of you." He said in another of his writings, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief." If then the "grief" be due to the wickedness of the disciples, the doing it "with joy" would be due to their advancement. As often as I remember you, I glorify God. But this he does from his being conscious of many good things in them. I both glorify, he says, and pray. I do not, because ye have advanced unto virtue, cease praying for you. But "I thank my God," he says, "upon all my remembrance of you."
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then he begins the letter's message, in which he does two things: first, he gives thanks for past benefits; secondly, he urges them to continue making progress (1:12). In regard to the first: first, he gives thanks for them; secondly, he mentions the subject matter …
Every time I remember you, says the apostle (and this I do always), I glorify God for the fact that you have advanced so much in virtue.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
I thank my God,.... After the inscription and salutation follows a thanksgiving, the object of which is God; to whom thanks is to be given at the remembrance of his name, and the perfections of his nature, and for all his mercies, temporal and spiritual.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
THE Epistle to the Philippians is the epistle ofjoy. Bengel sums it up in two Latin words, which, being interpreted, signify, "I rejoice, rejoice you." Here we come to that sweet fruit of the Spirit which we call "Joy." The statement Paul makes about the Philippian Church shows to what a high estate a Church can come. Beloved, we of the Tabernacle never wish to be like the Church in Galatia which was bewitched by false teachers who led away the people from the vital doctrine of justification by faith. Paul had to be very sharp with them and to lay down the grand fundamentals of Free Grace so as to bring them back to the one sure Rock on which they ought to have built. Into that condition, by the Grace of God, we have never fallen. At the same time I am afraid we have never reached as far as the Philippians went and this morning it is my intense desire that while I show you what they attained, every member of this Church may resolve, in the Holy Spirit, that he will labor to bring us to that happy condition. May God the Holy Spirit fire us with a devout ambition not to be a whit behind the best of the Apostolic Churches! The possibilities of a great Church like this are immeasurable. We may not sit down and dream of what we can do. We must feel our heart pulsing with a strong desire that whatever God can do with us and by us may be carried out to the fullest. If in anything there has been a falling short, may each member be determined that the responsibility shall not lie at his door! I invite you to think, first, that the Apostle speaks of the Church of Philippi as of a people whom he always remembered with joy.
Upon every remembrance - As often as you recur to my mind, so often do I thank God for the great work wrought among you. Some think that the words should be translated, for all your kind remembrance; referring to their kind attention to the apostle, in supplying his wants, etc.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you - Margin, “mention.” The Greek word means, “recollection, remembrance.” But this recollection may have been suggested either by his own reflections on what he had seen, or by what he had heard of them by others, or by the favors which they conferred on him reminding him of them. The meaning is, that as often as he thought on them, from whatever cause, he had occasion of thankfulness.
The words behind it
9 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Εὐχαριστῶ | eucharisto | I thank | G2168 → | |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεῷ | theo | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| μου | mou | of mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| πάσῃ | pase | every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μνείᾳ | mneia | remembrance | G3417 → | |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ΕὐχαριστῶI thank
eucharistoG2168 →
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
θεῷGod
theoG2316 →1312 times
μουof mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
πάσῃevery
paseG3956 →1235 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
μνείᾳremembrance
mneiaG3417 →
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Timothy 1:3I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as did my forefathers, as I constantly remember you night and day in my prayers.
it leads to
- Romans 1:8–9
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world.
- Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- Acts 24:14
I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and…
- Acts 23:1
Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”
- Acts 22:3
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just…
- Romans 1:8–9
Through
1 Corinthians 1:4I always thank my God for you because of the grace He has given you in Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- Romans 1:8
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world.
- John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.
- 1 Timothy 1:14
And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
- Romans 1:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About Philippians
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2154: “The Pastor's Joy and Confidence” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians 1; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Theodoret of Cyrus, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.3-5; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Philippians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Philippians.