What Does Philippians 2:27 Mean in the King James?
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.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Mercy reaches both the body near death and the person who fears losing it, keeping sorrow from becoming sorrow upon sorrow.
THE MEANING
When illness brings death close, compassion reaches the person in danger and the person who loves them. The danger and grief are real, yet mercy can keep one sorrow from being compounded by another.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that only the sick person needs mercy falls away: the grief of the one who fears losing them also matters.
THE ROOT
ἠσθένει
ēsthenei
GROWS FROM
ἀσθεν-
asthen-
Without strength; weakness.
“sick” in this verse is ēsthenei. The word names a loss of strength, and the verse places that weakness near death. It lets the danger remain stark while showing where compassion meets it.
ALSO GROWS
astheneia: Weakness, infirmity.
ἀσθένεια
This noun makes clear that the same word family can name weakness as well as sickness.
asthenēs: Weak, without strength.
ἀσθενής
This adjective reveals the underlying sense carried by “sick”: diminished strength.
ἠλέησεν
ēleēsen
GROWS FROM
ἐλε-
ele-
Compassion, mercy.
“had mercy” in this verse is ēleēsen. This verb belongs to the Greek mercy family: compassion is something shown, not merely felt. The verse says it reaches both the person who is sick and the one facing the possibility of loss.
ALSO GROWS
eleos: Mercy, compassion.
ἔλεος
This related noun names the compassion carried in the verb “had mercy.”
eleēmōn: Merciful, compassionate.
ἐλεήμων
This related word describes the character expressed when mercy is shown.
THE PATTERN
Compassion meets frailty and grief by extending care beyond the person directly afflicted.
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.THE THREAD
Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,Luke’s “tender mercy” includes ἔλεος (eleos, mercy or compassion), from the same Greek word family as ἠλέησεν (ēleēsen, “had mercy”) in Philippians. Luke joins mercy with a visitation; Philippians shows that mercy reaching into sickness and the fear of added grief.
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