Philippians 4 · Verse 7

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7, King James Version

Philippians 4:7 in other translations

BSBAnd the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
WEBAnd the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
ASVAnd the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
YLTand the peace of God, that is surpassing all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
DARBYand the peace of God, which surpasses every understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts by Christ Jesus.
BBEAnd the peace of God, which is deeper than all knowledge, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
WebsterAnd the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

What does Philippians 4:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. And--The inseparable consequence of thus laying everything before God in "prayer with thanksgiving." peace--the dispeller of "anxious care" (Php 4:6). of God--coming from God, and resting in God (Joh 14:27; 16:33; Col 3:15). passeth--surpasseth, or exceedeth, all man's notional powers of understanding its full blessedness (1Co 2:9, 10; Ep 3:20; compare Pr 3:17). shall keep--rather, "shall guard"; shall keep as a well-garrisoned stronghold (Is 26:1, 3). The same Greek verb is used in 1Pe 1:5. There shall be peace secure within, whatever outward troubles may besiege. hearts and minds--rather, "hearts (the seat of the thoughts) and thoughts" or purposes. through--rather as Greek, "in Christ Jesus." It is in Christ that we are "kept" or "guarded" secure.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 7. And the peace of God. The peace which God gives. The peace here particularly referred to is that which is felt when we have no anxious care about the supply of our wants, and when we go confidently and commit everything into the hands of God. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee," Isa 26:3. Jn 14:27.

Which passeth all understanding. That is, which surpasses all that men had conceived or imagined. The expression is one that denotes that the peace imparted is of the highest possible kind. The apostle Paul frequently used terms which had somewhat of a hyperbolical cast, Eph 3:19; comp. Jn 21:25;) and the language here is that which one would use who designed to speak of that which was of the highest order. The Christian, committing his way to God, and feeling that he will order all things aright, has a peace which is nowhere else known. Nothing else will furnish it but religion. No confidence that a man can have in his own powers; no reliance which he can repose on his own plans or on the promises or fidelity of his fellow-men, and no calculations which he can make on the course of events, can impart such peace to the soul as simple confidence in God.

Shall keep your hearts and minds. That is, shall keep them from anxiety and agitation. The idea is, that by thus making our requests known to God, and going to him in view of all our trials and wants, the mind would be preserved from distressing anxiety. The way to find peace, and to have the heart kept from trouble, is thus to go and spread out all before the Lord. Comp. Isa 26:3,4,20, 37:1-7. The word here rendered shall keep is a military term, and means that the mind would be guarded as a camp or castle is. It would be preserved from the intrusion of anxious fears and alarms.

Through Christ Jesus. By his agency, or intervention. It is only in him that the mind can be preserved in peace. It is not by mere confidence in God, or by mere prayer, but it is by confidence in God as he is revealed through the Redeemer, and by faith in him. Paul never lost sight of the truth, that all the security and happiness of a believer were to be traced to the Saviour.

(e) "Peace of God" Isa 26:3, Jn 14:27

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 And the peace of God - That harmonizing of all passions and appetites which is produced by the Holy Spirit, and arises from a sense of pardon and the favor of God; Shall keep your hearts - Φρουρησει· Shall keep them as in a strong place or castle. Your hearts - the seat of all your affections and passions, and minds - your understanding, judgment, and conscience through Christ Jesus; by whom ye were brought into this state of favor, through whom ye are preserved in it, and in whom ye possess it; for Christ keeps that heart in peace in which he dwells and rules. This peace passeth all understanding; it is of a very different nature from all that can arise from human occurrences; it is a peace which Christ has purchased, and which God dispenses; it is felt by all the truly godly, but can be explained by none; it is communion with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, by the power and influence of the Holy Ghost.

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 4:7 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.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ἡhētheG3588
εἰρήνηeirēnēpeaceG1515
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316
ἡhēwhichG3588
ὑπερέχουσαhuperechousais surpassingG5242
πάνταpantaallG3956
νοῦνnoununderstandingG3563
φρουρήσειphrourēseiwill guardG5432
τὰςtastheG3588
καρδίαςkardiasheartsG2588
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
καὶkaiandG2532
τὰtatheG3588
νοήματαnoēmatamindsG3540
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
ἐνeninG1722
ΧριστῷChristōChristG5547
Ἰησοῦ.¶IēsouJesus.G2424

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

Cross references for Philippians 4:7

  • John 14:27

    Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

  • Isaiah 26:3

    Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

  • 2 Thessalonians 3:16

    Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

  • Colossians 3:15

    And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

  • Psalms 29:11

    The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.

  • John 16:33

    These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

  • Romans 15:13

    Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

  • Galatians 5:22

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

  • Romans 8:6

    For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

  • Job 22:21

    Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

  • Isaiah 48:18

    O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

  • Romans 5:1

    Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the peace.
1:2; Nu 6:26; Job 22:21; 34:29; Ps 29:11; 85:8; Isa 26:3,12; 45:7
Isa 48:18; 48:22; 55:11,12; 57:19-21; Jer 33:6; Lu 1:79; 2:14
Joh 14:27; 16:33; Ro 1:7; 5:1; 8:6; 14:17; 15:13; 2Co 13:11; Ga 5:22
Col 3:15; 2Th 3:16; Heb 13:20; Re 1:4
passeth.
Eph 3:19; Re 2:17
shall.
Ne 8:10; Pr 2:11; 4:6; 6:22
through.
1Pe 1:4,5; Jude 1:1

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Philippians 4:8

    Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Read all of Philippians 4

Philippians 4:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y la paz de Dios, que sobrepuja todo entendimiento, guardará vuestros corazones y vuestros entendimientos en Cristo Jesús.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et la paix de Dieu, laquelle surpasse toute intelligence, gardera vos cœurs et vos pensées dans le christ Jésus.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und der Friede Gottes, der allen Verstand übersteigt, wird eure Herzen und euren Sinn bewahren in Christo Jesu.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et pax Dei, quæ exuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra, et intelligentias vestras in Christo Jesu.