But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
Parallel translations
- WEB Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News;
- BSB Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually served to advance the gospel.
- NKJV But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,
- NASB Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,
- NLT And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul reassures them that his imprisonment has actually advanced the gospel. God turns apparent setbacks into gospel progress.
Overview
The Philippians might fear that Paul's chains had hindered the mission, but he reports the opposite. His circumstances, however grim, served to spread the Good News further. This reflects the biblical pattern of God working through suffering and weakness for His purposes.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 2 Tim 2:9Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
- Rom 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
- Acts 11:19–21Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
- Rom 8:37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
- Acts 22:1–30Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
- Acts 8:4Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
- Esth 9:1Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)
- Acts 28:1–31And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.
- Ps 76:10Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
- Exod 18:11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
- Acts 21:28–36Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The one who, being in the form of God, emptied himself to the point of death on a cross and was exalted to the name above every name — the joy and prize of the believer.
How Philippians 1:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.