Letter of Paul to the Philippians

The eleventh book of the New Testament, Letter of Paul to the Philippians (also called Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Philippians, abbreviation Philippians) is the next contribution of St. Paul to the New Testament. This letter was written by Paul in 62 CE to the Christian congregation he had established in Philippi and is believed to be written while he was in prison in Rome or Ephesus.

Being in prison while writing the letter to the Philippians, St. Paul explains that while he welcomes death for the love of Jesus, he is still concerned to continue his apostolate. Therefore, he was afraid that his execution was imminent and that he would not be able to return to the Philippians. In his letter, Paul urges his readers to imitate Christ's humility, who "emptied himself" and "became obedient unto death, even death on a cross," and to hold firm to their faith. This frequently referenced verse is thought by exegetes to have been taken from an early Christian hymn. Paul also exhorts the Philippians to "work out their own salvation with fear and trembling" (2:12), a phrase frequently used by theologians to describe the importance of free choice in achieving one's own salvation.