Philippians 1:9

Philippians 1:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
• New International Version (NIV)And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

Context of Philippians 1:9

7It is right for me to feel this way about you, because [you have me in your heart as] I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the good news [regarding salvation], all of you share in [His matchless] grace with me. 8For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus [whose great love fills me]. And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more [displaying itself in greater depth] in real knowledge and in practical insight, 10so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin]; 11filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God [so that His glory may be both revealed and recognized].

Philippians 1:9 word by word

καὶ τοῦτο προσεύχομαι, ἵνα ἡ ἀγάπη ὑμῶν ἔτι μᾶλλον καὶ μᾶλλον περισσεύῃ ἐν ἐπιγνώσει καὶ πάσῃ αἰσθήσειRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• I prayπροσεύχομαιproseuchomai · to prayG4336
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• loveὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
• may aboundπερισσεύωperisseuō · to exceedG4052
• yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
• moreμᾶλλονmallon · moreG3123
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• knowledgeἐπίγνωσιςepignōsis · knowledgeG1922
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• judgmentαἴσθησιςaisthēsis · insightG144

Cross-references for Philippians 1:9

• Philippians 1:4always offering every prayer of mine with joy [and with specific requests] for all of you,
• Philippians 3:15All of us who are mature [pursuing spiritual perfection] should have this attitude. And if in any respect you have a different attitude, that too God will make clear to you.
• Job 17:9Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his ways, And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.
• Proverbs 4:18But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day.
• Matthew 13:31He gave them another parable [to consider], saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field;
• 2 Corinthians 8:7But just as you excel in everything, [and lead the way] in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in genuine concern, and in your love for us, see that you excel in this gracious work [of giving] also.
• 1 Thessalonians 3:12And may the Lord cause you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;
• 1 Thessalonians 4:1Finally, believers, we ask and admonish you in the Lord Jesus, that you follow the instruction that you received from us about how you ought to walk and please God (just as you are actually doing) and that you excel even more and more [pursuing a life of purpose and living in a way that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation].
• 2 Thessalonians 1:3We ought always and indeed are morally obligated [as those in debt] to give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is fitting, because your faith is growing ever greater, and the [unselfish] love of each one of you toward one another is continually increasing.
• Philemon 1:6I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective and powerful because of your accurate knowledge of every good thing which is ours in Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:22Since by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves for a sincere love of the believers, [see that you] love one another from the heart [always unselfishly seeking the best for one another],
• 1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers and sisters, do not be children [immature, childlike] in your thinking; be infants in [matters of] evil [completely innocent and inexperienced], but in your minds be mature [adults].
• Ephesians 5:17Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is.
• Colossians 1:9For this reason, since the day we heard about it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking [specifically] that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [with insight into His purposes], and in understanding [of spiritual things],
• Colossians 3:10and have put on the new [spiritual] self who is being continually renewed in true knowledge in the image of Him who created the new self—
• 2 Peter 1:5For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising] your faith to, develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding),

Commentaries on Philippians 1:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9This I pray - This is the substance of all my prayers for you, that your love to God, to one another, and to all mankind, may abound yet more and more, , that it may be like a river, perpetually fed with rain and fresh streams so that it continues to swell and increase till it fills all its banks, and floods the adjacent plains. In knowledge - Of God's nature, perfections, your own duty and interest, his work upon your souls, and his great designs in the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And this I pray - We pray for those whom we love, and whose welfare we seek. We desire their happiness; and there is no way more appropriate of expressing that desire than of going to God, and seeking it at his hand. Paul proceeds to enumerate the blessings which he sought for them; and it is worthy of observation that he did not ask riches, or worldly prosperity, but that his supplications were confined to spiritual blessings, and he sought these as the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-11Verses 8-11 Shall not we pity and love those souls whom Christ loves and pities? Those who abound in any grace, need to abound more. Try things which differ; that we may approve the things which are excellent. The truths and laws of Christ are excellent; and they recommend themselves as such to any attentive mind. Sincerity is that in which we should have our conversation in the world, and it is the glory of all our graces. Christians should not be apt to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10Love is the result of Christ’s Spirit within believers (Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22). Love is part of the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is the evidence that Christ is working in believers abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight: Growing in understanding helps believers know what truly matters (see Romans 12:2). It helps them live pure and blameless lives until Christ returns (compare 1 Thessalonians 3:12–13; 5:23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. The subject of his prayer for them (Php 1:4). your love--to Christ, producing love not only to Paul, Christ's minister, as it did, but also to one another, which it did not altogether as much as it ought (Php 2:2; 4:2). knowledge--of doctrinal and practical truth. judgment--rather, "perception"; "perceptive sense." Spiritual perceptiveness: spiritual sight, spiritual hearing, spiritual feeling, spiritual taste. Christianity is a vigorous plant, not the…Read the comment

Topics related to Philippians 1:9

• Grace of God
• Intercession
• Longevity
• Love
• Old Age
• Sinlessness
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Confirmation
• Conversation
• Flesh
• Furtherance
• Philippians, Epistle to
• Yea
• Commentaries
• Intercession
• Know; Knowledge
• Philippians, the Epistle to the

Commentaries on Philippians 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings