Philippians Chapter 2 verse 27 Holy Bible
for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.
read chapter 2 in ASV
For in fact he was ill almost to death: but God had mercy on him; and not only on him but on me, so that I might not have grief on grief.
read chapter 2 in BBE
for he was also sick close to death, but God had mercy on him, and not indeed on him alone, but also on me, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.
read chapter 2 in DARBY
For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
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read chapter 2 in WBT
For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow.
read chapter 2 in WEB
for he also ailed nigh to death, but God did deal kindly with him, and not with him only, but also with me, that sorrow upon sorrow I might not have.
read chapter 2 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 27. - For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. St. Paul recognizes the thankfulness of Epaphroditus for the recovery of his health: he shares that thankfulness himself. Mark his human sympathies; he had a "desire to depart," but he rejoices in the recovery of his friend. St. Paul does not seem to have healed Epaphroditus. The power of working miracles, like that of foreseeing the future (comp. Philippians 1:25, and note), was not, it seems, continuous; both were exercised only in accordance with the revealed will of God and on occasions of especial moment.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(27) God had mercy on him . . . and on me also.--The passage, over and above its interest as an example of the strong personal affection which belonged to St. Paul's nature, and harmonised with his wide scope of Christian love, is notable as showing clearly that the Apostle's power of miracle, great as it was, was not his own, to use at his own will. When it was needed to be "the sign of an Apostle" (2Corinthians 13:12) it was given; and at special times, as at Ephesus, it was given in "special" fulness (Acts 19:11). As we note, both in the Old Testament and in the New, special epochs of miracles in the history of the Church; so it would seem there were special occasions on which miracle came out prominently in the Apostle's preaching. We may, perhaps, infer from certain points in the descriptions of the healing of the cripple at the Beautiful Gate (Acts 3:4), and at Lystra (Acts 14:8) that some spiritual intimation warned them when the hour of miracle was come. But an Apostle could not, as our Lord would not, work miracles for his own needs. Thus in this case, deeply as he sorrowed for Epaphroditus, there is no hint of his exercising that power on his behalf. He could only pray that God would have mercy on him, and thank God when that prayer was heard.Sorrow upon sorrow.--That is, probably, upon the sorrow of captivity the sorrow of losing one who had (see Philippians 2:30) risked his life in the ardour of service to the captive. . . .
