Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
What does Philippians 4:6 mean?
Let believers be of one mind, and ready to help each other. As the apostle had found the benefit of their assistance, he knew how comfortable it would be to his fellow-labourers to have the help of others.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Philippians 4:6-7 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing - That is, be not anxious or solicitous about the things of the present life. The word used here - μεριμνατε merimnate - does not mean that we are to exercise no care about worldly matters - no care to preserve our property, or to provide for our families (compare 1 Timothy 5:8 ); but that there is to be such confidence in God as to free the mind from anxiety, and such a sense of dependence on him as to keep it calm; see the subject explained in the notes on Matthew 6:25 .
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Context in Philippians 4
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Philippians 4 belongs to the closing movement of the book, especially the section often described as final exhortations and gratitude. Philippians is a joyful prison letter centered on Christ’s humility, resurrection-minded hope, and steadfast partnership in the gospel. Read this chapter with the wider themes of joy, humility, and partnership in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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