Philippians 4:12
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Paul uses a word that means "initiated into a mystery" to describe his learned ability to handle both plenty and need. This wasn't just common sense; it was a profound, secret wisdom, like that revealed in ancient initiation rites, that allowed him to find contentment regardless of his outward circumstances.
I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is responding to the Philippian church, who have sent him support after a period where he lacked opportunity to receive it. He reassures them that he's not complaining or in need of their aid, but rather has learned a profound contentment that transcends his circumstances. This is the secret he has learned through his varied experiences, both positive and negative, throughout his ministry.
Paul talks about knowing how to handle tough times and good times. But is this something he was born with, or something he acquired?
Paul uses the word 'learned' or 'instructed' multiple times in this verse, emphasizing that his ability to be content in all circumstances is not a natural talent but a skill developed through experience and divine teaching.
From Trials to Training
He doesn't just state he can handle hardship; he says he knows how to be 'brought low' or 'abased.' This isn't about just surviving; it's about having a mindset and a behavior that aligns with his condition, whether it's hunger or need.
Prosperity's Hidden Test
Similarly, he 'knows how to abound.' This isn't just about having enough; it's about handling abundance with humility and gratitude, not pride or excess. The commentary notes that prosperity can be a harder test than adversity, as it doesn't naturally push us toward God.
A Deeper Understanding
Paul learned these lessons through the ups and downs of his ministry, showing that true contentment isn't dependent on outward situations but on an inward discipline cultivated over time.
Paul uses a fascinating word to describe his understanding of contentment – a word linked to ancient mystery religions. What does this 'initiation' reveal about the nature of this secret?
Ask a follow-up
Paul states he has been 'instructed' or, more literally, 'initiated' (the Greek word is 'memuemai'). This term was used in the ancient world for those who were initiated into the secret rites and teachings of mystery religions. It implied a deep, insider knowledge that the uninitiated couldn't grasp.
Beyond Surface-Level Knowledge
For Paul, this 'initiation' into contentment means he has moved beyond simply knowing about facing plenty or hunger. He has been brought into the deep, experiential knowledge of how to maintain an inner peace and steadfastness regardless of external conditions.
A Spiritual Discipline
This isn't a worldly philosophy; it's a spiritual discipline learned through Christ. The 'secret' isn't a trick or a formula, but a profound realization of where true sufficiency lies – not in circumstances, but in God Himself.
Embracing the Full Spectrum
This initiation covers the entire range of human experience: 'plenty and hunger, abundance and need.' Paul has been schooled by life and by the Spirit to find his anchor in an unchanging God, not in the shifting sands of worldly possessions or lack thereof.
Understand the original words
tapeinousthai · Greek Verb
To be brought low or humbled, often referring to a state of being brought down from a position of prosperity or status to one of poverty or difficulty. In a Christian context, it relates to the trials that test faith.
perisseuein · Greek Verb
To have more than enough or to overflow; it is used here to describe a state of material or situational prosperity. It signifies an abundance that exceeds immediate requirements.
mystērion · Greek Noun
The Greek word 'mystērion' refers to a truth hidden in God's eternal plan but now revealed to His people. It is a spiritual secret or truth that is not discernable by human wisdom but is known through revelation.
Paul's statement about knowing how to 'abound' and 'be abased' comes from a lifetime of intense ministry, facing both the challenges of poverty and the blessings of provision, often during periods of imprisonment and travel. His 'initiation' into this contentment wasn't theoretical but deeply experiential.
c. AD 49-50— this verse
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
During his second missionary journey, Paul spent a significant amount of time in Corinth, a wealthy Roman colony. Here, he likely experienced both periods of relative stability and hardship, possibly working as a tentmaker to support himself.
c. AD 50-52
Ministry in Ephesus
Paul's extended stay in Ephesus, a major commercial center, provided further opportunities for ministry but also exposed him to varied circumstances, including potential opposition and financial challenges.
c. AD 56-57
Imprisonment in Rome (First)
Although not explicitly stated as such in Philippians, Paul's first Roman imprisonment (Acts 28) was a time of significant physical hardship and confinement, during which he still ministered and received support from churches like Philippi.
c. AD 60-62
Writing from Rome
Paul penned the letter to the Philippians during his Roman imprisonment. This context highlights the contrast between his difficult circumstances and his profound inner contentment, as exemplified by the Philippians' gift supporting him.
This passage details Paul's extensive suffering and hardship in ministry, mirroring the 'abased' and 'hungry' aspects of Philippians 4:12 and showing the practical outworking of his learned contentment.
1 Timothy 6:6-10This text addresses the dangers of loving money and the challenges of wealth, providing a thematic parallel to Paul's 'abound' and 'plenty' experiences, warning against contentment being found in riches.
Matthew 6:25-33Jesus teaches not to worry about material needs, pointing to God's provision and urging followers to seek His kingdom first, which underpins the 'secret' Paul learned of finding sufficiency regardless of circumstances.
Hebrews 13:5This verse directly echoes Paul's sentiment by stating, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you,' assuring God's constant presence, which is the ultimate source of the contentment Paul experienced in all situations.
barnesPhilippians 4:12: "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."
I know both how to be abased - To be in circumstances of want. And I know how to abound - To have an abundance. lie had been in circumstances where he had an ample supply for all his needs, and knew what it was to have enough. It requires as much grace to keep the heart right in prosperity, as it does in ad…
gillPhilippians 4:12: "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."
I know both how to be abased,.... Or "humbled"; to be treated with indignity and contempt, to be trampled upon by man, to suffer hardships and distress, to be in a very mean and low condition, to work with his own hands, and minister to his own and the necessities of others in that way; yea, to be in hunger…
Paul uses a word that means "initiated into a mystery" to describe his learned ability to handle both plenty and need. This wasn't just common sense; it was a profound, secret wisdom, like that revealed in ancient initiation rites, that allowed him to find contentment regardless of his outward circumstances.
Paul is responding to the Philippian church, who have sent him support after a period where he lacked opportunity to receive it. He reassures them that he's not complaining or in need of their aid, but rather has learned a profound contentment that transcends his circumstances. This is the secret he has learned through his varied experiences, both positive and negative, throughout his ministry.
Paul is responding to the Philippian church, who have sent him support after a period where he lacked opportunity to receive it. He reassures them that he's not complaining or in need of their aid, but rather has learned a profound contentment that transcends his circumstances. This is the secret he has learned through his varied experiences, both positive and negative, throughout his ministry.
"I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need." — Paul uses a word that means "initiated into a mystery" to describe his learned ability to handle both plenty and need. This wasn't just common sense; it was a profound, secret wisdom, like that revea…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
