Philippians 2:26

26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.

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Philippians 2:26 in Other Translations

KJV

26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

ESV

26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.

NLT

26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill.

MSG

26 He has been wanting in the worst way to get back with you. Especially since recovering from the illness you heard about, he's been wanting to get back and reassure you that he is just fine.

CSB

26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick.

Philippians 2:26 Meaning and Commentary

Philippians 2:26

For he longed after you
This verse and ( Philippians 2:28 ) contain the reasons of the apostle's sending him; and the first is, because he had a very vehement and longing desire after all of them; to see them, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions add, and as it is read in the Alexandrian and Claromontane copies, and in others: it was not the city of Philippi he longed to see, which might be his native place, nor his natural relations and family, but the church there; and not the officers of it only, the bishops and deacons, but all the members of it, rich and poor, high and low, strong and weak believers:

and was full of heaviness:
almost pressed down, quite disheartened and dispirited, ready to sink and die away, not so much with his own disorder and illness, as with sorrow on account of the church at Philippi:

because that ye had heard that he had been sick:
he understood that the news of his sickness had reached them, and he knew how distressing it would be to them, that it would cut them to the heart, and press them heavily, fearing they should never see his face, nor hear his voice more. We have here an instance of that mutual love, tender affection and sympathy; which were in the first churches, and what subsisted between ministers and people; see how they loved one another! but, alas! this first love is left.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Philippians 2:26 In-Context

24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.

26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.

27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety.