Explore Paul’s Letter to the Philippians

A series of 12 Bible studies in EasyEnglish

These are good guides for a group of people who are studying the Bible. Each has a main subject and some questions.

There are also ideas for what to do, and the meaning of some difficult words.

About the book of Philippians

Paul had gone to many places to tell people the good news about Christ. He did not plan to go to the place called Philippi. But God wanted him to go there. The first studies in this little book tell us why Paul went to Philippi. They also tell us about what happened there.

Philippi was a city in the country that now we call Greece. At this time, Philippi belonged to Rome. And Rome was then the capital city of the people who ruled.

Paul could not stay in Philippi for a long time. But while he was there, many different people heard Paul’s message from God. Some of these people became believers.

Paul became very fond of the new Christians in Philippi. He went to see them only once more. Most of these studies are from a letter that he wrote to them.

The believers in Philippi were not rich. But they gave gifts of money to Paul and to Christians in the city called Jerusalem. In his letter, Paul thanks them for their gifts. He also gives them news about himself and tells them not to quarrel. He tells them again the truth about Christ. He asks them not to listen to wrong teachers. He wants what is best for them. They must continue to believe the truth. They must continue to be sure about Christ.

When he wrote this letter, Paul was in prison. Perhaps this prison was in Rome. (But here is what some writers suggest. Perhaps Paul’s prison was in a place called Caesarea. Or perhaps it was in a place called Ephesus.) Paul did not know what would happen to him.