Philippians 4:5
in Philippians 4Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
KJV
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
⋯
This verse in Philippians 4
Commentary
14 notes on this verseLet your moderation be known unto all men,.... The Vulgate Latin reads, "your modesty". The Syriac and Arabic versions, "your meekness", or "humility"; graces which accompany moderation, and are very necessary to it, but not that itself.
This site's exposition
and again I say, Rejoice
on Philippians 4:4-5
The joy thread reaches its summit as a doubled command from a man awaiting a capital verdict, rejoice in the Lord alway, and the repetition is deliberate, again I say, Rejoice. Moderation is epieikes, the yielding reasonableness that does not press its rights, and it is to be known unto all men, a public temper. The ground of both is one short sentence, The Lord is at hand.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Paul wants all to profit by good examples. When their forbearance becomes apparent as their regular way of life, their works will shine forth. There will be nothing lacking in those who imitate their virtue. They will be blessed not only from doing good deeds …
"The Lord," he says, "is at hand." They must be prepared and wakeful in prayer, giving thanks to God and putting away every worldly care, so as to hope and have before their eyes what the Lord promises. What he promises is, as he teaches, …
Forbearance is individual patience that observes due measure without straining beyond its station. When we live among strangers and live in a way commensurate with our lowliness, God will lift us up. So it is here; we do well to recognize our lowliness. "Therefore let …
"Let your forbearance be known unto all men." He said above, "Whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame," and that they "mind earthly things." (Phil. iii. 19.) It was probable that they would be at enmity with the wicked; he therefore exhorted them to have nothing in common with them, but to use them with all forbearance, and that not only their brethren, but also their enemies and opposers. "The Lord is at hand, in nothing be anxious." For why, tell me? do they ever rise in opposition? And if ye see them living in luxury, why are ye in affliction? Already the judgment is nigh; shortly will they give account of their actions. Are ye in affliction, and they in luxury? But these things shall shortly receive their end. Do they plot against you, and threaten you? "In nothing be anxious." The judgment is already at hand, when these things shall be reversed.
(That) we all know; provided, however, we remember what the same (God) has said through the apostle: "Let your probity appear before men." For what purpose, except that malice may have no access at all to you, or that you may be an example and testimony to the evil?
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Fourthly, it should be moderate and not flooded with pleasures, as happens in worldly joy; hence he says, let all men know your forbearance. As if to say: Your joy should be so moderated that it will not degenerate into dissoluteness. He says, let all …
Since above Paul condemned some as enemies of the cross, he now urges the Philippians not to treat them with hostility, but to deal with them mercifully, even if they were enemies.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Those of the roughest tempers are good natured to some, from natural sympathy and various motives; a Christian, to all. The Lord - The judge, the rewarder, the avenger. Is at hand - Standeth at the door.
In things indifferent do not run into extremes; avoid bigotry and animosity; judge charitably concerning one another." The word to epieikes signifies a good disposition towards other men; and this moderation is explained, Rom. xiv .
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Let your moderation be known unto all men - That is, let it be such that others may see it. This does not mean that they were to make an ostentatious display of it, but that it should be such a characteristic of their lives that it would be constantly visible to others. The word “moderation” - ἐπιεικὲς epieikes - refers to restraint on the passions, general soberness of living, being free from all excesses.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Exercise "forbearance" even to your persecutors. None is so ungracious as not to be kindly to someone, from some motive or another, on some occasion; the believer is to be so "unto all men" at all times. The Lord is at hand--The Lord's coming again speedily is the grand motive to every Christian grace (Jas 5:8, 9).
Let your moderation be known - The word επιεικες is of very extensive signification; it means the same as επιεικεια, mildness, patience, yieldingness, gentleness, clemency, moderation, unwillingness to litigate or contend; but moderation is expressive enough as a general term. “Moderation,” says Dr. Macknight, “means meekness under provocation, readiness to forgive injuries, equity in the management of business, candour in judging of the characters and actions of others, sweetness of disposition, and the entire government of the passions.” The Lord is at hand - A phrase something similar to the Maranatha of 1Co 16:22: The Lord is Judge, and is at hand to punish. Schoettgen supposes, from this verse, taken in connection with the preceding, that Euodias and Syntyche were of a quarrelsome disposition; and hence the exhortation and threatening in the third and fifth verses.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τὸ | to | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπιεικὲς | epieikes | gentleness | G1933 → | |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| γνωσθήτω | gnostheto | should be known | G1097 → | 221 times |
| πᾶσιν | pasin | to all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ἀνθρώποις. | anthropois | men. | G444 → | |
| ὁ | ho | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύριος | kurios | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἐγγύς. | engus | [is] near. | G1451 → |
τὸThe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἐπιεικὲςgentleness
epieikesG1933 →
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
γνωσθήτωshould be known
gnosthetoG1097 →221 times
πᾶσινto all
pasinG3956 →1235 times
ἀνθρώποις.men.
anthropoisG444 →
ὁThe
hoG3588 →19766 times
κύριοςLord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
ἐγγύς.[is] near.
engusG1451 →
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
Matthew 6:25Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more…
it leads to
- Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- 1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
- Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
- Psalms 55:22
Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
- Luke 12:22–31
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.
- Philippians 4:6
Through
1 Peter 4:7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and sober, so that you can pray.
it leads to
- James 5:8–9
You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.
- 1 Peter 1:13
Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- James 5:8–9
Through
Hebrews 10:37For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.
it leads to
- James 5:7–9
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
- James 5:7–9
About Philippians
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 4.7.1; Ambrosiaster, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 4.7.2; Gaius Marius Victorinus, EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 4.4-5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians 14; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, On the Apparel of Women Book II; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Philippians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Philippians.