Lexical Summary Philippoi: Philippi Original Word: Φίλιπποι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Philippi. Plural of Philippos; Philippi, a place in Macedonia -- Philippi. see GREEK Philippos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Philippos Definition Philippi, a city of Macedonia NASB Translation Philippi (4). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5375: ΦίλιπποιΦίλιπποι, Φιλίππων, οἱ (on the plural cf. Winers Grammar, § 27, 3), Philippi, a city of Macedonia Prima (see B. D., under the word Macedonia), situated on (near) the northern coast of the Aegean Sea, between the rivers Strymon and Nestus, and the cities Neapolis and Ampbipolis. It took its name from Philip I. of Macedon, who built it up from a village called Κρηνιδες, and adorned and fortified it: Acts 16:12 (on this passage, see κολωνία); Topical Lexicon Geographical and Historical Background Philippi lay in northeastern Macedonia near the Via Egnatia, the strategic east–west Roman highway. Founded by Philip II of Macedon and later refounded as a Roman colony after the Battle of Philippi (42 BC), the city possessed ius Italicum, granting its citizens many privileges of Roman law and culture. Gold mines in the vicinity and its position between Europe and Asia made Philippi commercially significant and a natural base for the spread of the gospel into the western world. Philippi in Acts: The Gospel’s Beachhead in Europe Acts 16:12 records the city as “a leading city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony.” Guided by the “Macedonian vision” (Acts 16:9–10), Paul, Silas, Timothy, and later Luke arrived, marking the first explicitly recorded entrance of the missionary band into continental Europe. • Conversion of Lydia (Acts 16:13–15): The riverside prayer gathering shows a Jewish presence too small for a synagogue, yet prepared for the gospel. Lydia’s hospitality established the first house–church in Europe. Later Visits and Travels through Philippi Acts 20:6 notes, “After the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi” on Paul’s third missionary journey, indicating an ongoing relationship and the probable presence of a mature congregation able to host and send the apostolic team. Philippi thus served as a staging point for further ministry into Greece. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians Addressed “to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons” (Philippians 1:1), the letter reflects: Recollection of Suffering at Philippi Paul reminds the Thessalonians, “Though we had suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi… we had boldness in our God to proclaim to you the gospel of God in the face of great opposition” (1 Thessalonians 2:2). The memory underscores the costliness of mission and the triumph of the gospel despite hostility. Character and Testimony of the Philippian Church 1. Joyful generosity: Their gifts arrived more than once while Paul was in Thessalonica and later in Rome. Doctrinal and Pastoral Themes Associated with Philippi • Christocentric humility and exaltation (Philippians 2). Legacy in Christian History Philippi became a symbol of gospel advance into Europe, illustrating how strategic urban centers can influence whole regions. Lydia’s household offers an early example of household conversion, and the city’s mixed Jewish, Greek, and Roman population foreshadows the multiethnic nature of Christ’s body. Even today archaeological remains—the forum, theater, and alleged prison site—bear silent witness to the historical reliability of Acts and the transformative power of the gospel first preached there. Forms and Transliterations Φιλιπποις Φιλίπποις Φιλιππους Φιλίππους Φιλιππων Φιλίππων Philippois Philíppois Philippon Philippōn Philíppon Philíppōn Philippous PhilíppousLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 16:12 N-AMSGRK: κἀκεῖθεν εἰς Φιλίππους ἥτις ἐστὶν NAS: and from there to Philippi, which KJV: from thence to Philippi, which is INT: from there to Philippi which is Acts 20:6 N-GMS Philippians 1:1 N-DMP 1 Thessalonians 2:2 N-DMP Strong's Greek 5375 |
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