Philippians 4:12

Philippians 4:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
• New International Version (NIV)I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Context of Philippians 4:12

10I am very happy that you want to help me again. I praise the Lord for that. I know that you wanted to help me before. But you have not had a chance to do anything until now. 11When I say that, it is not because I need anything. I have learned to be happy, whatever things may happen to me. I know what it is like to need things. I also know what it is like to have more than enough. I have learned this secret. I know how to be happy whatever happens. I can be happy when I have enough food to eat, and also when I am hungry. I can be happy when I have plenty of things, and also when I have nothing. 13I can do all these things because Christ makes me strong. 14But certainly, you have been very kind to me. You have helped me now, when I am in trouble.

Philippians 4:12 word by word

οἶδα καὶ ταπεινοῦσθαι, οἶδα καὶ περισσεύειν· ἐν παντὶ καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν μεμύημαι καὶ χορτάζεσθαι καὶ πεινᾶν καὶ περισσεύειν καὶ ὑστερεῖσθαι·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• bothκαίkai · andG2532
• to be abasedταπεινόωtapeinoō · to humbleG5013
• to aboundπερισσεύωperisseuō · to exceedG4052
• ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• every whereπᾶςpas · allG3956
• I am instructedμυέωmueō · to initiateG3453
• to be fullχορτάζωchortazō · to feedG5526
• to be hungryπεινάωpeinaō · to hungerG3983
• to suffer needὑστερέωhustereō · to lackG5302

Cross-references for Philippians 4:12

• 1 Corinthians 4:9This is what I think: as apostles, God has put us last of everyone. People see us like we are prisoners at the end of the line. They are taking us to die in a public place. Everybody in the world has come to look at us, both people and angels.
• 2 Corinthians 6:4Instead, in everything that we do, we want to show that we are God's servants. When people want to hurt us, we are patient and brave. We have many troubles. We become sad and upset.
• 2 Corinthians 10:1I, Paul, need to ask you something. Perhaps you think that I am only humble when I am present there with you. You think that I only speak strongly to you when I am far away! Now I am away from you. But I am still humble and kind, like Christ is.
• 2 Corinthians 11:7When I told you God's good news, I never asked you to pay me anything. I made myself less important so that you could be more important. I do not think that I was wrong to do that.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7Yes, God did show me many things that were very special. But he did not want me to be proud because of that. So he gave me a pain in my body, like a sharp thorn. Satan uses that pain to give me much trouble. It is like Satan's angel that he sends to hurt me. That certainly stops me from being proud of myself!
• Deuteronomy 32:10The Lord found them in a desert place. It was a place where strong winds blew and nobody lived. He took care of them and he kept them safe. He protected them, like someone protects their own eyes.
• Nehemiah 9:20You gave them your good Spirit to teach them what to do. You continued to give them manna from heaven to eat. You gave them water from a rock to drink.
• Isaiah 8:11Now the Lord spoke to me with great power. He warned me that I must not be like the other people in Judah. He said,
• Jeremiah 31:19After we turned away from you, we were sorry that we had done that. We understood what we had done, and we showed that we were sad. We were ashamed and upset, because of the disgusting things that we did when we were young.”
• Matthew 11:29Do what I teach you to do. Listen to my message and learn from me what is true. I am very kind and I do not make myself important. I will help you. Then you will have peace in your mind.
• Matthew 13:52Jesus said to them, ‘Some teachers of God's Law have now learned about the kingdom of heaven. These men are like the master of a house who takes things out of the room where he keeps them. Some of the valuable things he brings out are new and some of them are old.’
• Ephesians 4:20But when you learned about Christ, you did not learn to do things like that!

Commentaries on Philippians 4:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12I know - how to be abased - I have passed through all these states; I know how to conduct myself in each, and how to extract good from all. And he had passed through these things, especially the hardships, so that he had learned the lesson perfectly, as the word implies; he was thoroughly instructed; fully initiated into all the mysteries of poverty and want, and of the supporting hand of God in the whole. See here the state to which God permitted his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12I know both how to be abased - To be in circumstances of want. And I know how to abound - To have an abundance. lie had been in circumstances where he had an ample supply for all his needs, and knew what it was to have enough. It requires as much grace to keep the heart right in prosperity, as it does in adversity, and perhaps more. Adversity, of itself, does something to keep the mind in a right state; prosperity does nothing. Everywhere and in all…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-19Verses 10-19 It is a good work to succour and help a good minister in trouble. The nature of true Christian sympathy, is not only to feel concern for our friends in their troubles, but to do what we can to help them. The apostle was often in bonds, imprisonments, and necessities; but in all, he learned to be content, to bring his mind to his condition, and make the best of it. Pride, unbelief, vain hankering after something we have not got, and fickle…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-12As a servant of Christ, Paul has learned to be content with every situation, whether he had plenty or little. His life was filled with the joy that comes from doing the will of God whatever the cost.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. abased--in low circumstances (2Co 4:8; 6:9, 10). everywhere--rather, "in each, and in all things" [Alford]. instructed--in the secret. Literally, "initiated" in a secret teaching, which is a mystery unknown to the world.Read the comment

Topics related to Philippians 4:12

• Beneficence
• Church
• Contentment
• Humility
• Minister, Christian
• Philippi
• Resignation
• Righteousness
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Communicate
• Crown
• Epaphroditus
• Humility
• Need
• Request
• Therewith
• Abase
• Macedonia
• Money

Commentaries on Philippians 4

• 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