The Meaning of Philippians 1:20 Explained

Philippians 1:20

KJV: According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

YLT: according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, and in all freedom, as always, also now Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death,

Darby: according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but in all boldness, as always, now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether by life or by death.

ASV: according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always,'so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.

Discover Philippians 1:20

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Philippians 1:20?

MEANING: What does Philippians 1:20 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Philippians 1:20 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Philippians 1:20?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

According  to my  earnest expectation  and  [my] hope,  that  in  nothing  I shall be ashamed,  but  [that] with  all  boldness,  as  always,  [so] now  also  Christ  shall be magnified  in  my  body,  whether  [it be] by  life,  or  by  death. 

What does Philippians 1:20 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Paul did not want to feel ashamed when he stood before the Lord at His judgment seat (cf. 1 John 2:28). The phrase "my earnest expectation and hope" is probably a hendiadys meaning "my hope-filled eager expectation" (NEB). Moreover he was confident that with the prayer support of the Philippians and the Holy Spirit"s enablement he would not. Nevertheless he felt the need for courage. After all, he still had to stand before Caesar and undergo a Roman trial. His greatest desire, however, was that he would continue to exalt Jesus Christ whether that meant that he live or die.
"The believer"s body is a "lens" that makes a "little Christ" look very big, and a "distant Christ" come very close." [1]
The use of the passive "be exalted" rather than the active "I exalt Christ" is unusual. It reflects Paul"s conviction that essentially the Christian life involves following the leading of God"s indwelling Spirit rather than seizing the initiative and doing things for God (cf. Galatians 5:18).

Context Summary

Philippians 1:12-21 - "to Live Is Christ, And To Die Is Gain"
It was a matter of comparative indifference to Paul what happened to himself so long as the gospel progressed, because the extension of the gospel meant the growing glory of Jesus. He was quite content to be in bonds, if only by his chains he might gain access to new realms, hitherto untrodden, for proclaiming his Lord. He could even view with equanimity the envy and strife of some, if Jesus might be named to those who had never heard of Him, He was prepared to live or to die, that Jesus might be magnified. He was willing to remain for a little longer outside of heaven, if that would better serve the cause he loved. His main argument for consistency of life on the part of his converts was that the success of the gospel might not be impeded. It seemed good to suffer, if only it were on the behalf of Christ. Oh that we might experience a similar absorption in the great interests of the gospel!
It is clear from this paragraph that death is not an unconscious sleep. It is gain. It is a loosing from anchorage so that the soul may go forth on the broad ocean of God's love. It does not interrupt our conscious fellowship with the Lord. The moment of absence here is the moment of presence there. To die is therefore gain. [source]

Chapter Summary: Philippians 1

1  Paul testifies his thankfulness to God, and his love toward the Philippians,
9  daily praying for their increase in grace;
12  he shows what good the faith of Christ had received by his troubles at Rome;
21  and how ready he is to glorify Christ either by his life or death;
27  exhorting them to unity;
28  and to fortitude in persecution

Greek Commentary for Philippians 1:20

Earnest expectation [αποκαραδοκιαν]
In Paul alone from αποκαραδοκεω — apokaradokeō (in papyri). See note on Romans 8:19 for only other example. [source]
Shall be magnified [megalunthēsetai)]
Future passive indicative of megalunō old verb, to make great, from μεγαλυντησεται — megas (great). See note on Acts 19:17. In my body (μεγαλυνω — en tōi sōmati mou). See note on Romans 12:1. It is harder often to make Christ great in the body than in the spirit. [source]
In my body [μεγαλυνω]
See note on Romans 12:1. It is harder often to make Christ great in the body than in the spirit. [source]
Earnest expectation [ἀποκαραδοκίαν]
Only here and Romans 8:19, on which see note. [source]
Shall be ashamed [αἰσχυνθήσομαι]
Rev., better, giving the force of the passive, shall be put to shame. [source]
Boldness []
See on Phlippians 1:8. [source]
Shall be magnified in my body []
Through my bodily sufferings Christ shall appear more glorious, and that even if I die. [source]

What do the individual words in Philippians 1:20 mean?

according to the earnest expectation and hope of me that in nothing I will be ashamed but all boldness as always also now will be magnified Christ the body whether by life or death
κατὰ τὴν ἀποκαραδοκίαν καὶ ἐλπίδα μου ὅτι ἐν οὐδενὶ αἰσχυνθήσομαι ἀλλ’ πάσῃ παρρησίᾳ ὡς πάντοτε καὶ νῦν μεγαλυνθήσεται Χριστὸς τῷ σώματί εἴτε διὰ ζωῆς εἴτε θανάτου

κατὰ  according  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
ἀποκαραδοκίαν  earnest  expectation 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀποκαραδοκία 
Sense: anxious and persistent expectation.
ἐλπίδα  hope 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐλπίς  
Sense: expectation of evil, fear.
μου  of  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
οὐδενὶ  nothing 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
αἰσχυνθήσομαι  I  will  be  ashamed 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: αἰσχύνομαι  
Sense: to disfigure.
παρρησίᾳ  boldness 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: παρρησία  
Sense: freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech.
πάντοτε  always 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πάντοτε  
Sense: at all times, always, ever.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
νῦν  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: νῦν  
Sense: at this time, the present, now.
μεγαλυνθήσεται  will  be  magnified 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: μεγαλύνω  
Sense: to make great, magnify.
Χριστὸς  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
σώματί  body 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: σῶμα  
Sense: the body both of men or animals.
εἴτε  whether 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: εἴτε  
Sense: if … if.
ζωῆς  life 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ζωή  
Sense: life.
θανάτου  death 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θάνατος 
Sense: the death of the body.

What are the major concepts related to Philippians 1:20?

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