Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.
Parallel Translations
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Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.
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Neverthelesse to abyde in the flesshe is moare nedfull for you.
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Neuerthelesse, to abide in the flesh, is more needefull for you.
Cross-references (4)
Passages linked to Philippians 1:24 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
- Philippians 1:22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose.
- Philippians 1:25-26 Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.
- Acts 20:29-31 For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn’t cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (11 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more…
24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
Ver. 24:. Is more needful for you] Mr Bolton dying, and desiring to be dissolved, being told that it was indeed better for him to he with Christ, but the Church of God could not miss him, nor the benefit of his ministry, he thus replied with David, 2Sa 15:25-26 "If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation. But if otherwise, lo, here I am, let him do what seemeth good in his eyes." No man is born, much less born again, for himself, but for the benefit of many, as Bucer’s physicians said to him, Non sibi se, sed multorum utilitati esse natum, that he was not born for himself, but for the good of God’s Church; the welfare whereof he had zealously promoted. Dr John Reynolds being persuaded by his friends to give over his incessant pains in the Lord’s work for his health’s sake, finely answered out of Juvenal,
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" Et proffer vitam vivendi perdere finem:
Nor yet, for love of life, lose that dare I
That is the main, care of community."
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain However, with respect to the church, by his staying…
However, with respect to the church, by his staying here in this mortal body he persuades himself, knowing the subtlety of false apostles, who would enter in as grievous wolves, Act 20:29, it was necessary to strengthen them and other churches in the faith of Christ.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Nevertheless to abide in the flesh,.... To continue in…
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh,.... To continue in the body, not always, but a little longer,
is more needful for you; for their comfort, edification, and instruction, their further profiting: and increase in faith, and the joy of it. The Syriac version renders the words thus, "but business for you", or "a good will towards you compels me to abide in the body"; and the Arabic version thus, "notwithstanding I choose to remain in the flesh, and this I think very necessary for you"; so that upon the whole, the argument for living longer on consideration of glorifying Christ, and of being more useful to the good of souls, preponderated with him; inclined him to desire rather to live than die; though the latter was better for him, and more to his personal advantage; and thus, like a brave and good man, he prefers a public good to a private one.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 24. To abide in the flesh] It would…
Verse 24. To abide in the flesh] It would certainly be gain to myself to die, but it will be a gain to you if I live. If I die I shall go immediately to glory; if I live I shall continue to minister to you, and strengthen you in the faith.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Php 1:24-26. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh —…
Php 1:24-26. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh — In the body; is more needful for you — And the rest who have embraced the gospel. For, as he said to the elders of the church at Ephesus, he foresaw that after his departure grievous wolves should enter into the churches, not sparing the flock, Act 20:29. This is the other particular between which, and departing to be with Christ, the apostle’s mind was divided, as mentioned Php 1:22. For the sake of the churches, however, he here represents himself as being willing to forego, for a time, his own interest, and to continue in this mortal state. For he adds, having this confidence — That my abiding in the flesh is for your advantage; I know that I shall abide — Some have supposed that a particular revelation was made to him, while he was writing this, that he should not be put to death at this time, but should soon be released from his bonds; and that it was on the ground of that revelation that he expressed himself with so much confidence on this occasion. Some indeed have thought that this hope of deliverance arose from his knowing that the Christians in Cesar’s household were now endeavouring to procure his release. But, as Dr. Doddridge observes, “he must have known little of princes and courtiers, (and especially in Nero’s reign,) to build so confidently on such a foundation.” And continue with you all — Which doubtless he did for some considerable time, visiting many other places as well as Philippi. For your furtherance — Προκοπην, advancement, in holiness; and the joy of faith — Which will be strengthened by my deliverance from confinement, and by my continuing my apostolical labours among you as opportunity offers. That your rejoicing — Or glorying, as καυχημα rather signifies; may be more abundant — May be greatly increased; by my coming to you again — As I fully expect to do.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Nevertheless to abide in the flesh - To live.…
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh - To live. All this is language derived from the belief that the soul will be separate from the body at death, and will occupy a separate state of existence.
Is more needful for you - Another object that was dear to the heart of Paul. He never supposed that his life was useless; or that it was a matter of no importance to the cause of religion whether he lived or died. He knew that God works by means; and that the life of a minister of the gospel is of real value to the church and the world. His experience, his influence, his paternal counsels, he felt assured would be of value to the church, and he had, therefore, a desire to live - and it was no part of his religion affectedly to undervalue or despise himself.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain to abide--to continue somewhat longer.
to abide--to continue somewhat longer.
for you--Greek, "on your account"; "for your sake." In order to be of service to you, I am willing to forego my entrance a little sooner into blessedness; heaven will not fail to be mine at last.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 24. More needful—Here is the consideration on the other…
24. More needful—Here is the consideration on the other side, the necessity of his stay for the Church offsetting his personal desire.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 24. to abide in the flesh] Quite lit., as…
24. to abide in the flesh] Quite lit., as Bp Lightfoot, to abide by the flesh, to hold fast to its conditions of trial, for the sake of the Lord and His flock.
more needful] More necessary. Desire, and the sense of betterness, lie on the side of death; obligation, in view of the claims of others, lies on the side of life.
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for you] Lit. and better, on account of you.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful…
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. To abide by the flesh (if with some authorities the preposition is omitted), to hold to this human life with all its trials, is more needful for your sake. Meyer quotes Seneca, "Epist." 98, "Vitae suae adjici nihil desiderat sua causa, sed eorum, quibus utilis est."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 24. Nevertheless. Though it is better to depart and…
24. Nevertheless. Though it is better to depart and dwell with Christ, the brethren need him in the flesh. That is the reason why he is in the strait (verse 23).
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.