Moshiachʼs Letter through the Shliach Sha'ul to the Brit Chadasha Kehillah in Philippi
Introduction
The joyous tone of this letter is miraculous, given the fact that Rav Sha'ul is, as he is writing it, in danger of capital punishment by decapitation at anytime and without warning. But Sha'ul selflessly thinks about two quarreling women and the danger their quarrel poses to the kehillah in Philippi. He seems to have been leading up to the statement in 4:2: “I appeal to Euodias and I appeal to Syntyche, think the same thing in Adoneinu.”
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1 From Sha'ul and Timotiyos, servants of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua; To all the Kedoshim in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua who are in the city of Philippi with the supervising mashgichim ruchaniyim (spiritual overseers, zekenim, mivakkerim, supervisors) and the klei kodesh (ministers), the ministering messianic shammashim.
2 Chen v'chesed Hashem and shalom Hashem from Elohim Avinu and Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.
3 Modeh Ani (I thank) my G-d upon every zikaron (remembrance) of you, 4 Always in every tefillah of mine on behalf of all of you, davening with simcha, making techinnah (supplication) 5 In view of your deveykus Hashem, your chavrusa partnership in the Besuras HaGeulah from day one until now. 6 Being convinced of this: that He who began a pe'ulah hatovah*(good work) in you, will bring that mitzvoh to completion† by Yom Hashem, the Yom Adoneinu, Moshiach Yehoshua.‡ 7 It is in fact b'tzedek for me to have hitbonenut (profound contemplation) about you all because I hold you in my lev with hartzige (heartfelt) sincerity, both in regard to my sharsherot (prison chains) and in the apologetic hitstaddekut (defense) and vindicatory work for the Besuras HaGeulah, you being all deveykus (attachment to G-d) participators in the Chen v'Chesed Hashem given to me. 8 For der Oybershter is mine eidus (G-d is my witness) how I yearn for all of you with the ahavas Moshiach Yehoshua. 9 And my tefillah (prayer) is this, that your ahavah (love)§ may yet increase more and more in profound da'as and binah, 10 To help you approve the feste (excellent) things of musar (moral discipline) that matter, that you may be sincere and without michshol (stumbling block) of blame* in the Yom HaMoshiach,† 11 Having been filled with the p'ri Tzedek (fruit of righteousness) through Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua to the kavod Hashem and His tiferet (splendor).
12 I want you to have da'as, Achim b'Moshiach, that the things concerning me have fallen out to an even greater advancement‡ of the Besuras HaGeulah.§ 13 So that my sharsherot*(chains) have become a hisgalus (revelation) in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach! In all the imperial guard and the public at large! 14 And most of the Achim b'Adoneinu, having been strengthened in bitachon by my sharsherot (chains), are more readily willing to dare to fearlessly proclaim the Dvar Hashem.
15 Indeed some darshanim (preachers) preach their derashot (sermons) out of a ruach that is mekanne (jealous, envious) and one of madon (strife); but some have derashot proclaiming Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, and these darshanim have kavvanah tovah (good intention). 16 These latter proclaim Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach out of a ruach of ahavah, having da'as that the purpose of my divinely destined appointment here is for the hitstaddekut (apologetic defense) of the Besuras HaGeulah. 17 But those other ones preach Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach out of anochiyut†(selfishness), not with a lev tahor (pure in heart) motive, lu yetzuuyar (assuming) by means of my sharsherot‡ to stir up tzoros. 18 Nu? Whether the maggidim are or are not perfect in their intent, the significant thing is that Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach is preached!
And in this I have simcha. And I will go right on having simcha! 19 For, I have da'as that through your tefillos for me and through the ezrah (aid) given by the Ruach Moshiach, this will turn out for my Yeshu'ah (rescue, salvation).§ 20 It is my confident tikvah that in nothing I will be put to bushah (shame), but with all ometz lev*(courage, boldness) as always, even now, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach will be magnified in my basar,† whether through Chayyim (Life) or through Mavet (Death). 21 For to me to live is Moshiach‡ and to die is revach (gain, profit, hanaa). 22 But if it means I am to go on living in the basar, this for me is p'ri for Hashem in the work of avodas kodesh ministry. What will I choose? I do not have da'as, 23 I am kleir (deliberating). I am pulled two drakhim (ways) by a happy dilemma, on the one tzad (side) having the desire to depart and be with Moshiach, for this is much better.§ 24 But on the other tzad (side) to remain in the basar is more necessary for your sake. 25 And having been convinced of this fact, I have da'as that I blaib (remain, continue unchanged) and will continue with all of you, for your advancement* and simcha of the† Emunah,‡ 26 With the ultimate aim that by coming to you again your glorying may abound in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.
27 Only one thing: conduct in practice your torat haEzrakhut§(citizenship) worthily of the Besuras HaGeulah of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear concerning you that you are standing like a ma'oz (fortress, bastion) in one ruach, with one neshamah, contending for the Emunah* of the Besuras HaGeulah. 28 And, I might add, not having pachad (fear, terror) in reaction to anything as far as the mitnaggedim (the ones opposing) are concerned, which is a proof to them of their churban (destruction), but of your Yeshu'ah†(salvation ), and this from Hashem. 29 For to you it was given on behalf of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, not only to have emunah in him but also on behalf of him to be laden with the burden of Messianic yissurim‡(sufferings), 30 With you having the same struggle, which you saw in me§ and now hear to be in me.*
* 1:6 Pp 2:13 † 1:6 Ps 138:8 ‡ 1:6 Pp 1:10; 2:16 § 1:9 in Moshiach * 1:10 2:15 † 1:10 1:6; 2:16 ‡ 1:12 Pp 1:25 § 1:12 2Ti 2:9 * 1:13 Pp 1:7 † 1:17 Pp 2:3 ‡ 1:17 Pp 1:13-14 § 1:19 Pp 1:28; 2:12; Ro 8:28 * 1:20 Josh 1:7 † 1:20 Pp 1:13 ‡ 1:21 Ga 2:20 § 1:23 2C 5:8 * 1:25 Pp 1:12 † 1:25 Orthodox Jewish ‡ 1:25 cf. 1:27; 1Ti 3:9; 4:1,6; 5:8; 6:10,21; Yd 3 § 1:27 see Pp 3:20 * 1:27 Yd 3; Pp 4:3 † 1:28 Pp 1:19; 2:12 ‡ 1:29 Pp 3:10 § 1:30 Ac 16:22 * 1:30 Pp 1:13