Philippians 1:16The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;
The setting
Rome, ~62 AD. Paul is chained to a Praetorian guard in his rented house. Some preachers in Rome are using his imprisonment to advance their own status...
The emotion here: chained and watching others profit from his suffering
The original word
eritheia (ἐριθείας) — selfish ambition from working for wages, not love
Why it matters
Paul was chained 24/7 to rotating guards, making ministry conversations inevitable
Read with care
What most readers miss in Philippians 1:16
Paul names NO names — he protects even those who hurt him
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about theological disagreement, but it's about people literally using Paul's imprisonment to boost their own ministries while he suffers.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Philippians 1:16
Bible Genome reading
Philippians 1:16 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Philippians 1:16 comes from the book of Philippians, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to Paul. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the teaching genre of biblical literature. Key themes include selfish ministry, persecution. Notable phrases: selfish ambition; add affliction to my chains.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Philippians 1:16 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "grieving"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.