Philippians 4 · Verse 6

Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Philippians 4:6, King James Version

Philippians 4:6 in other translations

BSB	Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
WEB	In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
ASV	In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
YLT	for nothing be anxious, but in everything by prayer, and by supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God;
DARBY	Be careful about nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
BBE	Have no cares; but in everything with prayer and praise put your requests before God.
Webster	Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

What does Philippians 4:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. Translate, "Be anxious about nothing." Care and prayer are as mutually opposed as fire and water [Bengel]. by prayer and supplication--Greek, "by the prayer and the supplication" appropriate to each case [Alford]. Prayer for blessings; and the general term. Supplication, to avert ills; a special term, suppliant entreaty (see on Ep 6:18). thanksgiving--for every event, prosperity and affliction alike (1Th 5:18; Jas 5:13). The Philippians might remember Paul's example at Philippi when in the innermost prison (Ac 16:25). Thanksgiving gives effect to prayer (2Ch 20:21), and frees from anxious carefulness by making all God's dealings matter for praise, not merely for resignation, much less murmuring. "Peace" is the companion of "thanksgiving" (Php 4:7; Col 3:15). let your requests be made known unto God--with generous, filial, unreserved confidence; not keeping aught back, as too great, or else too small, to bring before God, though you might feel so as to your fellow men. So Jacob, when fearing Esau (Ge 32:9-12); Hezekiah fearing Sennacherib (2Ki 19:14; Psa 37:5).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 6. Be careful for nothing. That is, be not anxious or solicitous about the things of the present life. The word here used--μεριμνατε --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, (1Timm 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 Mt 6:25.

But in every thing. Everything in reference to the supply of your wants, and the wants of your families; everything in respect to afflictions, embarrassments, and trials: and everything relating to your spiritual condition. There ia nothing which pertains to body, mind, estate, friends, conflicts, losses, trials, hopes, fears, in reference to which we may not go and spread it all out before the Lord.

By prayer and supplication. The word rendered supplication is a stronger term than the former. It is the mode of prayer peculiarly which arises from the sense of need, or want--from δεομαι, to want, to need.

With thanksgiving. Thanksgiving connected with prayer. We can always find something to be thankful for, no matter what may be the burden of our wants, or the special subject of our petitions. When we pray for the supply of our wants, we may be thankful for that kind Providence which has hitherto befriended us; when we pray for restoration from sickness, we may be thankful for the health we have hitherto enjoyed, and for God's merciful interposition in the former days of trial, and for his goodness in now sparing our lives; when we pray that our children and friends may be preserved from danger and death, we may remember how often God has interposed to save them; when, oppressed with a sense of sin, we pray for pardon, we have abundant cause of thanksgiving that there is a glorious way by which we may be saved. The greatest sufferer that lives in this world of redeeming love, and who has the offer of heaven before him, has cause of gratitude.

Let your request be made known unto God. Not as if you were to give him information, but to express to him your wants. God needs not to be informed of our necessities, but he requires that we come and express them to him. Comp. Eze 36:37: "Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them."

(*) "careful" "anxious" (d) "careful for nothing" Mt 6:25

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 Be careful for nothing - Μηδεν μεριμνατε· Be not anxiously solicitous; do not give place to carking care, let what will occur; for anxiety cannot chance the state or condition of any thing from bad to good, but will infallibly injure your own souls. By prayer and supplication - God alone can help you; he is disposed to do it, but you must ask by prayer and supplication; without this he has not promised to help you. By prayer - solemn application to God from a sense of want. Supplication - continuance in earnest prayer. With thanksgiving, for innumerable favors already received; and for dangers, evils, and deaths turned aside. And let your souls be found in this exercise, or in the disposition in which this exercise can be performed, at all times, on all occasions, and in all places.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Philippians 4:2-9

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. Let us seek to give assurance that our names are written in the book of life. Joy in God is of great consequence in the Christian life; and Christians need to be again and again called to it. It more than…

Read the full comment on Philippians 4:2-9 →

Philippians 4:6 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

μηδὲνmēdenNothingG3367

μεριμνᾶτε,merimnatedo worry about,G3309

ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235

ἐνeninG1722

παντὶpantieverythingG3956

τῇtēa<the>G3588

προσευχῇproseuchēaby prayerG4335

καὶkaiandG2532

τῇtēa<the>G3588

δεήσειdeēseiby supplicationG1162

μετὰmetawithG3326

εὐχαριστίαςeucharistiasthanksgivingG2169

τὰtatheG3588

αἰτήματαaitēmatarequestsG155

ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771

γνωριζέσθωgnōrizesthōshould be made knownG1107

πρὸςprostoG4314

τὸνton<the>G3588

θεόν·theonGod;G2316

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Philippians 4:6

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Matthew 6:25-33
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: …
Psalms 55:22
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18
Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Matthew 7:7-8
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Psalms 34:5-7
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Matthew 6:8
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Jeremiah 33:3
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Psalms 62:8
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Colossians 4:2
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

careful.
Da 3:16; Mt 6:25-33; 10:19; 13:22; Lu 10:41; 12:29; 1Co 7:21,32
1Pe 5:7
in.
Ge 32:7-12; 1Sa 1:15; 30:6; 2Ch 32:20; 33:12,13; Ps 34:5-7; 51:15
Ps 55:17,22; 62:8; Pr 3:5,6; 16:3; Jer 33:3; Mt 7:7,8; Lu 18:1,7
Lu 12:22; Eph 6:18; Col 4:2; 1Th 5:17,18; 1Pe 4:7; Jude 1:20,21
thanksgiving.
1Sa 7:12; 2Co 1:11; Eph 5:20; Col 3:15,17
known.
Pr 15:8; So 2:14; Mt 6:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Philippians 4:5
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Read all of Philippians 4

Philippians 4:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Por nada estéis afanosos; sino sean notorias vuestras peticiones delante de Dios en toda oración y ruego, con hacimiento de gracias.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	ne vous inquiétez de rien, mais, en toutes choses, exposez vos requêtes à Dieu par des prières et des supplications avec des actions de grâces;
German Elberfelder 1871	Seid um nichts besorgt, sondern in allem lasset durch Gebet und Flehen mit Danksagung eure Anliegen vor Gott kundwerden;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione, et obsecratione, cum gratiarum actione petitiones vestræ innotescant apud Deum.