Acts xxviii. 30, 31, which is an undoubted evidence that it was written during his first imprisonment. The letter could not have been written during the earliest part of the captivity at Rome, because time must have been allowed for the news of St. Paul's arrival there to have reached. the Philippians; for the despatch of Epaphroditus with their contributions; for his illness at Rome; for the arrival of news concerning his sickness at Philippi; and for the return of their expression of sorrow and sympathy to which the Apostle alludes (ii. 26); the expectation of the immediate decision of his cause, to which he alludes, is another evidence that it was written towards the close of that imprisonment. The date may therefore be most probably fixed at A.D. 64.

GENUINENESS OF THE EPISTLE.-The canonical authority and genuineness of the Epistle were unanimously acknowledged by the Early Church. Polycarp (A.D.107) wrote to the Philippian Church, and refers to St. Paul's Epistle as a well-known document. Tertullian (A.D. 200) also refers to it, naming Philippi as an Apostolic Church. A quotation from it is found in the Epistle of the Churches of Lyons and Vienne (A.D. 177). It is also quoted as St. Paul's by Irenæus, Clement of Alexandria, and other early writers. There is also much internal evidence as to its genuineness;

many passages, which would be otherwise obscure, may be easily interpreted by comparing them with the history as set forth in the Acts. The canonical authority and the authorship of this Epistle may be considered as unshaken.

Divisions:

i. Introductory, Greeting: chap. i. 1-11.
ii. Account of the progress of the Gospel in
Rome; the condition of the Apostle :

i. 12-26.

iii. Exhortations: i. 27—ii. 18.

iv. Personal matters-the Mission of Timothy;
his hope of revisiting Philippi; the
return of Epaphroditus: ii. 19—30.

v. Injunctions and Warnings: iii, 1–21.
vi. Final Injunctions: iv. 1–9.

vii. Acknowledgment of their Bounty: iv.

10-19.

viii. Conclusion: Salutations and Benedictions: iv. 20-23.

The unity of the Epistle is generally admitted.

CHAPTER I.

A.D. 64.

PAUL and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons :

2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

5 For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now;

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the Gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.