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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Php_4:8-9
8Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Php_4:8-9 This continues the emphasis on the believer's thought life. The rabbis saw the mind as the seed-bed of the soul. What we think becomes who we are. These verses are much needed in the life of the modern western church in a day of such socially accepted evil. Paul's list is similar to the Stoics' lists of virtues. Paul was exposed to Greek philosophy as a citizen of Tarsus. He even quotes several Greek writers (cf. Act_17:28; 1Co_15:37 and Tit_1:12). See Special Topic: Vices and Virtues in the NT at Col_3:5.
Php_4:8 "finally" See note at Php_3:1.
▣ "true" This is truth in contrast to falsehood, however, it is not academic truth, but rather a lifestyle of godly living. This very term is used of God in Rom_3:4.
▣ "honorable" This literally means "dignified." This term is often translated "grave" and is used for church leaders in 1Ti_3:8; 1Ti_3:11 and Tit_2:2. It seems to have been used in the sense of "dignity" with "attractiveness" toward both the saved and the lost.
▣ "right" This refers to one conforming to the standard of God's character, thereby being a morally upright person. In the OT the Hebrew term for "right" comes from the word for "measuring reed" and refers to God's nature as the standard by which all humans are judged. This does not mean that humans can be perfectly right with God on their own effort, but that God has freely imputed the righteousness of Christ to those who believe in Him by faith Once given, God's character transforms the receiver!
▣ "pure" This is used in the sense of moral purity (cf. 1Jn_3:3).
▣ "lovely" This term is used only here in the NT. It seems to mean "pleasing," "amiable," "congenial," or "pleasant." This is another call for believers to live attractive lives.
NASB "of good repute"
NKJV "praiseworthy"
NRSV "commendable"
TEV "deserve praise"
NJB "admire"
This term is used only here in the NT. It refers to that which is "praise-worthy" or "attractive."
▣ "if there is any excellence" The grammatical form of these eight items used in Php_4:8 changes after the sixth one and becomes a first class conditional sentence which was assumed to be true. The term "excellent" is used only here in Paul's writings and only three times in Peter's (cf. 1Pe_2:9; 2Pe_1:3; 2Pe_1:5). It refers to doing something well with its accompanying prestige. It was a common word in the Greek moral philosophers (Stoics). It is used to express goodness in its fullest practical expression.
▣ "worthy of praise" This meant "that which was approved both by God and by man" (cf. Php_1:11). It refers to being socially acceptable to a culture for the purpose of attracting people to God (cf. 1Ti_3:2; 1Ti_3:7; 1Ti_3:10; 1Ti_5:7; 1Ti_6:14).
NASB "dwell on these things"
NKJV "meditate on these things"
NRSV "think about these things"
TEV "fill your minds with those things"
NJB "let your minds be filled with"
This is a present middle imperative. This commercial term (logizomai) implies a process of calculating or reasoning that was continual and priority. Dwell on these things so that they can shape your thinking and living (see note at Php_3:15). God will do His part in the believers' lives through grace, but they must participate by removing those things that they know will draw their heart away from the Lord (cf. 1Th_5:21-22).
Php_4:9 "the things you have learned and received and heard and seen" All four of these verbs are aorist active indicatives. These relate to Paul's activities in Philippi. Both the content of believers' theology and their lifestyle (cf. Ezr_7:10) are crucial if believers are to reflect who the Lord is and attract others to Him.
It is interesting that the second word "received" (paralambanô) became an official term for "received tradition" and was used in that sense by Paul in 1Co_11:23; 1Co_15:3.
▣ "seen" This emphasis began in Php_3:17. As Paul followed Christ, believers are to follow him.
▣ "Practice these things" This is a present active imperative, "keep on practicing these things!" Do not be just hearers, but doers (cf. Luk_11:28; Jas_1:22). It is very similar to the Hebrew concept, Shema (cf. Deu_5:1; Deu_6:4; Deu_9:1; Deu_20:3; Deu_27:9-10), which meant "to hear so as to do." Christianity must not be turned into a creed isolated from daily godly living.
▣ "the God of peace" As Php_4:7 emphasizes the peace that God gives, this verse emphasizes the very nature of the One who gives it. This emphasis on the peace-giving God can be seen in Rom_15:33; Rom_16:20; 2Co_13:11; 1Th_5:23; Heb_13:20. Jesus is called the Lord of peace in 2Th_3:16.