What Does Philippians 4:6 Mean in the King James?
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
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
The hidden movement is from anxious care into a voiced request, with thanksgiving keeping favor present inside the asking.
THE MEANING
Every circumstance is within the reach of prayer and direct appeal to God: your requests can be made known to God. Thanksgiving sits beside the asking, so present need and recognized favor can occupy the same moment.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that uncertainty must be resolved before you can speak to God: the request itself is brought into God’s hearing alongside thanksgiving.
THE ROOT
μεριμνάω
merimnaō
GROWS FROM
μερίζω
merizō
To divide, apportion, or share; this word family is traditionally connected with the idea of divided concern.
“be careful” in this verse is merimnaō. The Greek word for anxiety carries an image of attention divided among concerns. Prayer gathers those concerns into requests spoken before God.
ALSO GROWS
meris: A portion or share
μερίς
The idea of being divided into portions gives the word for anxious care a picture of attention split among many concerns.
merizō: To divide or apportion
μερίζω
This related verb illuminates the divided quality carried by anxious concern in the verse.
εὐχαριστία
eucharistia
GROWS FROM
χάρις
charis
Favor or gracious gift; the word family also expresses gratitude and thanks.
Thanksgiving carries the language of favor within it. The request is spoken with gratitude present, holding need and received favor together.
ALSO GROWS
charis: Favor; thanks where the context means gratitude
χάρις
The shared root connects thanksgiving with favor, so gratitude names what is already received even while a request is being made.
eucharisteō: To give thanks
εὐχαριστέω
This verb from the same word family makes gratitude an expressed act alongside prayer.
THE PATTERN
Care moves into God’s keeping through petition, casting, and trust.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.THE THREAD
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.Peter uses μέριμνα (merimna, care), from the same word family as μεριμνάω (merimnaō, be anxious) in this verse. The concern voiced as a request here is described there as cast upon the one whose care holds you.
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