Philippians 1:28

Amplified Bible

And in no way be alarmed or intimidated [in anything] by your opponents, for such [constancy and fearlessness on your part] is a [clear] sign [a proof and a seal] for them of [their impending] destruction, but [a clear sign] for you of deliverance and salvation, and that too, from God.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
And you will not be afraid of those who are against you. All of this is proof from God that you are being saved and that your enemies will be lost.

Revised Standard Version
and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear omen to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and in nothynge fearinge youre adversaries: which is to them a token of perdicion and to you of salvacion and that of God.

Hebrew Names Version
and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

New American Standard Bible
and in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and this too, from God.

New Century Version
and that you are not afraid of those who are against you. All of this is proof that your enemies will be destroyed but that you will be saved by God.

Update Bible Version
and in nothing frightened by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God;

Webster's Bible Translation
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

English Standard Version
and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

World English Bible
and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation.

Weymouth's New Testament
Never for a moment quail before your antagonists. Your fearlessness will be to them a sure token of impending destruction, but to you it will be a sure token of your salvation--a token coming from God.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And in no thing be ye aferd of aduersaries, which is to hem cause of perdicioun,

English Revised Version
and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God;

Berean Standard Bible
without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a clear sign of their destruction but of your salvation, and it is from God.

Contemporary English Version
Be brave when you face your enemies. Your courage will show them that they are going to be destroyed, and it will show you that you will be saved. God will make all of this happen,

American Standard Version
and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God;

Bible in Basic English
Having no fear of those who are against you; which is a clear sign of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God;

Complete Jewish Bible
not frightened by anything the opposition does. This will be for them an indication that they are headed for destruction and you for deliverance. And this is from God;

Darby Translation
and not frightened in anything by the opposers, which is to them a demonstration of destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God;

International Standard Version
and that you are not intimidated by your opponents in any way. This is evidence that they will be destroyed and that you will be saved - and all because ofand that from">[fn] God.Romans 8:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:11;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
in nothing moved by them who stand against us, to the forthshowing of their perdition, and of our salvation,

Murdock Translation
And in nothing be ye startled, by those who rise up against us; [fn] an indication of their destruction, and of life for you.

King James Version (1611)
And in nothing terrified by your aduersaries, which is to them an euident token of perdition: but to you of saluation, and that of God.

New Living Translation
Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.

New Life Bible
Do not be afraid of those who hate you. Their hate for you proves they will be destroyed. It proves you have life from God that lasts forever.

New Revised Standard
and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God's doing.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And in nothing feare your aduersaries, which is to them a token of perdition, and to you of saluation, and that of God.

George Lamsa Translation
And that in nothing are you terrified by our adversaries, whose conduct is the sign of their own destruction, but your salvation, and this is from God.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And not being affrighted in anything by the opposers, - the which, is, unto them, a token of destruction, although of your salvation, and this from God;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And in nothing be ye terrified by the adversaries: which to them is a cause of perdition, but to you of salvation, and this from God.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And in nothyng fearyng your aduersaries, which is to them a token of perdition: but to you of saluatio, and that of God.

Good News Translation
Don't be afraid of your enemies; always be courageous, and this will prove to them that they will lose and that you will win, because it is God who gives you the victory.

Christian Standard Bible®
not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your salvation—and this is from God.

King James Version
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

Lexham English Bible
and not letting yourselves be intimidated in anything by your opponents, which is a sign of destruction to them, but of your salvation, and this from God,

Literal Translation
and not being terrified in anything by those who oppose, which to them truly is a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and this from God;

Young's Literal Translation
and not terrified in anything by those opposing, which to them indeed is a token of destruction, and to you of salvation, and that from God;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and in nothinge fearinge youre aduersaries, which is to them a token off perdicion, but vnto you of saluacion, and that of God.

Mace New Testament (1729)
without being under any the least apprehension from your adversaries: this will be to them a sign of their ruin, and to you of salvation, by the divine appointment.

New English Translation
and by not being intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of their destruction, but of your salvation—a sign which is from God.

New King James Version
and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, [fn] and that from God.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Only in this way will you be able to keep from being afraid of all of those who will oppose you. This courage that will be instilled in you will be a clear message to them that they will be destroyed and you will be saved by God.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.

Legacy Standard Bible
in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.

Contextual Overview

²⁷Only [be sure to] lead your lives in a manner [that will be] worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I do come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit [and one purpose], with one mind striving side by side [as if in combat] for the faith of the gospel. ²⁸And in no way be alarmed or intimidated [in anything] by your opponents, for such [constancy and fearlessness on your part] is a [clear] sign [a proof and a seal] for them of [their impending] destruction, but [a clear sign] for you of deliverance and salvation, and that too, from God.²⁹For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ's sake, not only to believe and confidently trust in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, ³⁰[and so you are] experiencing the same [kind of] conflict which you saw me endure, and which you hear to be mine now.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

in: Isaiah 51:7, Isaiah 51:12, Matthew 10:28, Luke 12:4-7, Luke 21:12-19, Acts 4:19-31, Acts 5:40-42, 1 Thessalonians 2:2, 2 Timothy 1:7, 2 Timothy 1:8, Hebrews 13:6, Revelation 2:10

an: 2 Thessalonians 1:5, 2 Thessalonians 1:6, 1 Peter 4:12-14

but: Matthew 5:10-12, Romans 8:17, 2 Timothy 2:11, 2 Timothy 2:12

and that: Genesis 49:18, Psalms 50:23, Psalms 68:19, Psalms 68:20, Isaiah 12:2, Luke 3:6, Acts 28:28

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 10:11 - General 2 Kings 6:16 - Fear not 1 Chronicles 19:12 - If the Syrians Ezra 5:5 - But the eye Nehemiah 4:17 - with one Psalms 27:3 - host Psalms 49:5 - Wherefore Isaiah 40:9 - be not Jeremiah 9:3 - valiant Ezekiel 2:6 - be not Mark 3:3 - he saith Mark 14:44 - a token Luke 6:8 - Rise Luke 6:22 - when men Luke 21:13 - General John 19:9 - But 1 Thessalonians 3:3 - moved 2 Peter 3:7 - and perdition

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God (Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:3
And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness.

Genesis 1:5
And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

Genesis 1:17
God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to provide light upon the earth,

Genesis 1:18
to rule over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good and He affirmed and sustained it.

Genesis 1:22
And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."

Genesis 8:17
"Bring out with you every living thing from all flesh—birds and animals and every crawling thing that crawls on the earth—that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth."

Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.

Genesis 9:7
"As for you, be fruitful and multiply; Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And in nothing terrified by your adversaries,.... Not by Satan, though a roaring lion, for Christ is greater than he; nor by the world which Christ has overcome; nor by false teachers, though men of art and cunning; nor by violent persecutors, who can do no more than kill, the body; let not the power, the rage, the cunning, or the violence of one or the other, move, discourage, or affright from a close attachment to the Gospel and the truths of it:

which is to them an evident token of perdition; when men wilfully oppose themselves to the truth, and show a malicious hatred to it, and hold it in unrighteousness, and either turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, or persecute it with rage and fury, it looks as if they were given up to reprobate minds, to say and do things not convenient; as if they were foreordained to condemnation; and were consigned over to destruction and perdition; and very rare it is, that such persons are ever called by grace:

but to you of salvation; when men are reproached and ridiculed, are threatened and persecuted for the sake of the Gospel, and are enabled to take all patiently, and persevere in the truth with constancy, it is a manifest token that such are counted worthy of the kingdom of God; that God has a design of salvation for them, and that they shall be saved with an everlasting one: so that the different effects of the opposition of the one, and the constancy of the other, are made use of as so many reasons why the saints should not be terrified by their enemies: it is added,

and that of God; meaning either that the whole of this is of God, as that there are adversaries, heretics, and persecutors; this is by divine permission, and in order to answer some ends and purpose of God, and the perdition or everlasting punishment of such persons will be righteously inflicted upon them by him; and that the constancy, faith, patience, and perseverance of the saints and their salvation, are all of God: or it particularly respects the latter, the salvation of those who persevere to the end; this is not of themselves, or merited by their constancy, patience, and perseverance, but is God's free gift. The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, join this clause to the beginning of Philippians 1:29, thus, "and this is given of God to you", &c.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And in nothing terrified by your adversaries - Adversaries, or opponents, they had, like most of the other early Christians. There were Jews there who would be likely to oppose them (compare Acts 17:5), and they were exposed to persecution by the pagan. In that city, Paul had himself suffered much Acts 16:0; and it would not be strange if the same scenes should be repeated. It is evident from this passage, as well as from some other parts of the Epistle, that the Philippians were at this time experiencing some form of severe suffering. But in what way, or why, the opposition to them was excited, is nowhere stated. The meaning here is, “do not be alarmed at anything which they can do. Maintain your Christian integrity, notwithstanding all the opposition which they can make. They will, in the end, certainly be destroyed, and you will be saved.”

Which is to them an evident token of perdition - What, it may be asked, would be the token of their perdition? What is the evidence to which Paul refers that they will be destroyed? The relative “which” - ἥτις hētis; - is probably used as referring to the persecution which had been commenced, and to the constancy which the apostle supposed the Philippians would evince. The sentence is elliptical; but it is manifest that the apostle refers either to the circumstance then occurring, that they were persecuted, and that they evinced constancy; or to the constancy which he wished them to evince in their persecutions. He says that this circumstance of persecution, if they evinced such a spirit as he wished, would be to them an evidence of two things:

(1) Of the destruction of those who were engaged in the persecution. This would be, because they knew that such persecutors could not ultimately prevail. Persecution of the church would be a certain indication that they who did it would be finally destroyed.

(2) It would be a proof of their own salvation, because it would show that they were the friends of the Redeemer; and they had the assurance that all those who were persecuted for his sake would be saved. The gender of the Greek relative here is determined by the following noun (ἔνδειξις endeixis), in a manner that is not uncommon in Greek; see Wetstein, in loc., and Koppe.

And that of God - That is, their persecution is a proof that God will interpose in due time and save you. The hostility of the wicked to us is one evidence that we are the friends of God, and shall be saved.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 28. In nothing terrified by your adversaries — So it appears that the Church at Philippi was then under persecution.

Which is to them — Ἡτις αυτοις εστιν. Some very judicious critics consider ητις as referring to πιστις, the faith of the Gospel, which they, the heathen, considered to be a token of perdition to all them who embraced it; but, as the apostle says, it was to them the Philippians, on the contrary, the most evident token of salvation; for, having embraced the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, they were incontestably in the way to eternal blessedness.