SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:28
y en nada intimidados de los que se oponen; que a ellos ciertamente es indicio de perdicin, mas a vosotros de salud; y esto de Dios;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Philippians 1:28
Verse 28. In nothing terrified by your adversaries] So it appears that the Church at Philippi was then under persecution. Which is to them] htiv autoiv eptin. Some very judicious critics consider htiv as referring to pistiv, 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 28. And in nothing terrified by your adversaries , etc.] 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, etc.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 27-30 - Those who profess the gospel of Christ, should live as becomes thos who believe gospel truths, submit to gospel laws, and depend upo gospel promises. The original word "conversation" denotes the conduc of citizens who seek the credit, safety, peace, and prosperity of their city. There is that in the faith of the gospel, which is worth strivin for; there is much opposition, and there is need of striving. A man ma sleep and go to hell; but he who would go to heaven, must look abou him and be diligent. There may be oneness of heart and affection amon Christians, where there is diversity of judgment about many things Faith is God's gift on the behalf of Christ; the ability an disposition to believe are from God. And if we suffer reproach and los for Christ, we are to reckon them a gift, and prize them accordingly Yet salvation must not be ascribed to bodily afflictions, as thoug afflictions and worldly persecutions deserved it; but from God only i salvation: faith and patience are his gifts __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 μη 3361 πτυρομενοι 4426 5746 εν 1722 μηδενι 3367 υπο 5259 των 3588 αντικειμενων 480 5740 ητις 3748 αυτοις 846 μεν 3303 εστιν 2076 5748 ενδειξις 1732 απωλειας 684 υμιν 5213 δε 1161 σωτηριας 4991 και 2532 τουτο 5124 απο 575 θεου 2316
Vincent's NT Word Studies
28. Terrified (pturomenoi). Only here in the New Testament. Properly of the terror of a startled horse. Thus Diodorus Siculus, speaking of the chariot-horses of Darius at the battle of Issus: "Frightened (pturomenoi) by reason of the multitude of the dead heaped round them, they shook off their reins" (xvii. 34). Plutarch says: "The multitude is not easy to handle so that it is safe for any one to take the reins; but it should be held sufficient, if, not being scared by sight or sound, like a shy and fickle animal, it accept mastery."
Which is (htiv estin). Seeing that it is.
An evident token (endeixiv). Only here, Rom. iii. 25, 26; 2 Corinthians viii. 24. Lit., a pointing out. Used in Attic law of a writ of indictment. A demonstration or proof.
To you of salvation (umin). Read uJmwn of you. Rev., of your salvation. And that of God. Rev., from God (apo). Lightfoot finds here an allusion, in accord with striving together, to the sign of life or death given by the populace in the amphitheater when a gladiator was vanquished, by turning the thumbs up or down. "The christian gladiator does not anxiously await the signal of life or death from the fickle crowd. The great Director of the contest Himself has given him a sure token of deliverance."
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:28 {Affrighted} (pturomenoi). Present passive participle of ptur", old verb, to frighten. The metaphor is of a timid or scared horse and from ptoew (ptoa, terror). "Not startled in anything." {By the adversaries} (hupo twn antikeimenwn). These men who were lined up against (present middle participle of antikeimai) may have been Jews or Gentiles or both. See #2Th 2:4 for this late verb. Any preacher who attacks evil will have opposition. {Evident token} (endeixis). Old word for proof. See #2Co 8:24; Ro 3:25f. "An Attic law term" (Kennedy) and only in Paul in N.T. {Perdition} (ap"leias). "Loss" in contrast with "salvation" (swterias). {And that} (kai touto). Idiomatic adverbial accusative. "It is a direct indication from God. The Christian gladiator does not anxiously await the signal of life or death from the fickle crowd" (Lightfoot).
