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In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy,
Philippians 1:4 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB always in every request of mine on behalf of you all making my requests with joy,
  • KJV Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
  • NKJV always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,
  • NASB always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,
  • NLT Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,

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 prays for the Philippians constantly and does so with joy. Intercession and gladness belong together in the Christian life.

Overview

His prayers are not duty-bound drudgery but a delight, marked by joy even amid suffering. The repeated "all" shows his affection embraces the entire congregation without favoritism. Joy is a keynote of Philippians, and here it springs from love expressed in prayer.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 13

  • 1 Th 1:2We always thank God for all of you, remembering you in our prayers
  • Rom 1:9God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
  • 2 Jn 1:4I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father has commanded us.
  • Phil 2:2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
  • Eph 1:14–23who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.
  • Phil 1:9–11And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
  • 1 Th 2:19–20After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
  • Phil 3:18For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
  • Col 2:5For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ.
  • Phil 4:1Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you must stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
  • Phlm 1:7I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.
  • Luke 15:7In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.
  • Luke 15:10In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Philippians videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Philippians 1:4YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PhilippiansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 1:4 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.