I am all the more eager, then, to send him is literally “I sent him, therefore, the more eagerly.” Here “I sent” is probably to be taken as an epistolary aorist (cf. 2.25). The Greek comparative adverb rendered all the more eager should not be taken in the sense of “more hastily.” It is used, rather, in the sense of “more eagerly,” referring to the spirit in which Paul dispatches his fellow-worker, not to outward haste. Paul’s eagerness may be expressed as a type of desire, for example, “I want all the more, therefore, to send him to you,” or “that is why I want so much to send him to you.”

The Greek word order seems to suggest that the adverb again is best taken with glad, and in Good News Translation (cf. New American Bible), rather than with see, as in Revised Standard Version and New English Bible. The Philippians’ cheerfulness had been clouded by Epaphroditus’ sickness; they would certainly regain their cheerfulness at his safe return.

The apostle identifies himself so closely with his readers that their sorrow and anxiety are his own. If Epaphroditus’ safe return will mean the restoration of their happiness, then, he says, my own sorrow will disappear (literally, “I might be the less sorrowful”). The adjective “less sorrowful” appears only here in the New Testament. It means “to be free from sorrow” or “to be relieved of anxiety.” My own sorrow will disappear is part of the purpose introduced by the conjunctive phrase so that. It may be necessary to repeat the expression of purpose, for example, “so that you will be glad again when you see him, and so that my own sorrow will disappear,” or “… so that I will not have sorrow any longer.”

Quoted with permission from Luo, I-Jin. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .