Apparently Paul is here making use of some ethical terms which are found in lists of virtues. The teaching device of reciting such a list is typically that of moral philosophers. But there seems to be no need for suggesting that Paul’s purpose is to urge his readers to learn from pagan society. He is simply interested in seeing that his Philippian friends develop certain good qualities. These apparently reflect the apostle’s own conduct and are the qualities which help to bring God’s presence (v. 9). Even though some of the terms used here are not found elsewhere in Paul’s letters or in the entire New Testament, all except one (honorable) are found in the Septuagint.

As the phrase in conclusion shows, the apostle once again prepares to bring his letter to a close. This adverbial expression is literally “for the rest” or “for what remains,” meaning “as to what remains to be said.” Most likely this is the meaning intended here, and so a number of translators render it as “finally” (Moffatt Revised Standard Version Jerusalem Bible New American Bible). In some instances in conclusion may be rendered as “and now to end what I am going to say,” “and now my final words are,” or “what follows is all that I am going to say.”

Paul lists eight good qualities. These are introduced by a series of six phrases, each beginning with “as many things as” and summed up by two phrases, each beginning with “if there is.” The first six ethical terms are adjectives and all have plural forms, and the last two are nouns and have singular forms. This rather stately and symmetrical construction can be arranged in pairs (cf. New English Bible Jerusalem Bible). But since the last two “if there is” phrases, being more generic, serve to sum up the preceding “as many things as” phrases, Good News Translation reorders the structure by moving the last two constructions to the front and punctuates them with a colon, thus … things that are good and that deserve praise:.

The present imperative verb rendered fill your minds with (literally, “consider” or “calculate”) certainly means more than “keep in mind” (Moffatt) or “think about” (Revised Standard Version). It is rather “take (them) into account” and reflect carefully upon them in order that they may shape your conduct. These good qualities are not merely things that are good for the head, but things that need to be transformed into action. The present imperative has the force of continual action (Barclay “your thoughts must continually dwell on…”). The phrase fill your minds poses a number of problems if translated literally into other languages. It is often better, therefore, to employ such an expression as “think only about” or “consider only.”

In this type of context the English word things refers not to particular concrete objects but primarily to actions and events. In many languages one can avoid a reference to “things” by translating simply “think only about what is good and deserves praise.” In some cases, however, it is necessary to talk about “happenings” or “events” which have certain qualities. Therefore one can say “think only about those happenings that are good and ought to be praised,” or “… what people do that is good and worthy of being praised by other people.”

The noun rendered good appears nowhere else in Paul’s letters, and elsewhere in the New Testament only in 1 Peter 2.9 and 2 Peter 1.3, 5. This word is one of the most important terms in Hellenistic moral philosophy. The difficulty in translating it is indicated by the many different renderings: “virtue” (King James Version Knox cf. Jerusalem Bible New American Bible), “excellence” (Revised Standard Version Moffatt Barclay cf. Goodspeed), “goodness” (Phillips). In classical thought it is an inclusive term that can describe every kind of excellence. The English word “virtue” is by no means as inclusive in meaning as the original Greek word. “Excellence” in modern usage has very little to do with moral conduct. The only word which may have nearly all the force of the original is goodness.

The word praise (Moffatt Knox “merit”; New English Bible “admirable”) is used in 1.11 in reference to the praise of God. As a rule Paul thinks only of what God will praise, but in this context he is obviously speaking of the kind of conduct that wins the praise of men (Barclay “wins men’s praise”).

In order to indicate clearly the relation between the clause those things that are good and that deserve praise and the clause things that are true, noble right, pure, lovely, and honorable, it may be very useful to introduce the second clause by some such expression as “that is to say,” “that includes,” or “these actions are also.”

Things that are true certainly refers to more than truthfulness in speech; it includes truthfulness and sincerity in thought, attitude, and action. In this type of context the meaning of true may often by conveyed more satisfactorily in a negative expression, for example, “in which there is nothing false.”

It is difficult of find a good word for the adjective rendered noble. This fact is reflected in the diverse translations: “honest” (King James Version), “honorable” (American Standard Version Phillips), “worthy” (Moffatt Goodspeed), “nobly serious” (Barclay), and “deserve respect” (New American Bible). Another possibility is “dignified,” since this adjective is often used in that sense. Sometimes the concept of noble may be expressed by an idiomatic phrase, for example, “that which causes people to look up,” or “that which causes people’s eyes to admire.”

Right is a relational term. A man is “just” (Revised Standard Version New English Bible etc.) and therefore right when he gives to God and to his fellow men what is their due. He accepts and performs his proper duty to God and man. Some of the implications of a term for right may be expressed as “right in the eyes of God and people.” Something of the same meaning may be expressed in some languages as “fair for all people.”

The word pure, when used of ceremonial activity, describes that which has been cleansed and is fit to offer to God. But it is used here in the ethical sense as a description of what is morally pure, undefiled, blameless. This meaning may often be expressed by a negative phrase, for example, “in which there is nothing to be blamed,” “something which has no fault,” or “something in which nothing bad has been added.”

The word rendered lovely appears only here in the New Testament. It basically means “that which calls forth love,” or “that which is love-inspiring.” One may thus render lovely as “that which causes love,” or “what people want to love.” When it is used of man, it describes someone who has a winsome personality, is friendly and pleasant to be with. He is “attractive” (Moffatt), “amiable” (Goodspeed), “lovable” (New English Bible). In some languages “lovable” or “lovely” cannot apply to things, so “likable” or “pleasing” would be the term to use.

The rendering honorable represents another Greek term found only here in the New Testament. It means basically something that is “good sounding,” that is, fit or pleasant to be heard, not likely to offend people (New American Bible “decent”; Bruce “reputable”; New English Bible alternative “of good repute”). Honorable may also be translated as “what men can always think good about.” Or it may be expressed negatively as “something in which there is nothing bad to take away from the good.”

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 .