Philippians 1:9

This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

BSB

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

KJV

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

ASV

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;

BBE

And my prayer is that you may be increased more and more in knowledge and experience;

Original Greek

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καὶ kai And G2532 τοῦτο touto this G3778 προσεύχομαι proseuchomai I pray G4336 ἵνα ina that G2443 ἡ hē the G3588 ἀγάπη agapē love G26 ὑμῶν humōn of you G4771 ἔτι eti yet G2089 μᾶλλον mallon more G3123 καὶ kai and G2532 μᾶλλον mallon more G3123 περισσεύῃ perisseuē may abound G4052 ἐν en in G1722 ἐπιγνώσει epignōsei knowledge G1922 καὶ kai and G2532 πάσῃ pasē in all G3956 αἰσθήσει aisthēsei discernment G144

The early church

"And this," saith he, "I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more." For this is a good of which there is no satiety; for see, being so loved he wished to be loved still more, for he who loves the object of his love, is willing to stay at no point of love, for it is impossible there should be a measure of so noble a thing. Paul desires that the debt of love should always be owing; "Owe no man any thing, save to love one another." (Rom. xiii. 8.) The measure of love is, to stop nowhere; "that your love," says he, "may abound yet more and more." Consider the character of the expression, "that it may abound yet more and more," he says, "in knowledge and all discernment." He does not extol friendship merely, nor love merely, but such as comes of knowledge; that is, Ye should not apply the same love to all: for this comes not of love, but from want of feeling. What means he by "in knowledge"? He means, with judgment, with reason, with discrimination. There are who love without reason, simply and any how, whence it comes that such friendships are weak.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Philippians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 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 take offence, and should be very careful not to offend God or the brethren. The things which most honour God will most benefit us. Let us not leave it doubtful whether any good fruit is found in us or not. A small measure of Christian love, knowledge, and fruitfulness should not satisfy any.

Read Matthew Henry on Philippians 1 →

Cross-references

18

Topics

WisdomLoveIntercessionGrace Of GodSinlessness

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.