King James Version

Philippians 4:8

Philippians 4:8 tells believers to fill their minds with good things: whatever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report, and anything with virtue or praise. Paul ends the list with the command "think on these things."

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Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8 · KJV

Philippians 4:8 in context

⁵Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

⁶Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

⁷And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

⁹Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

¹⁰But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

¹¹Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Philippians 4:5-11, King James Version. Read the whole chapter →

What Philippians 4:8 means

The verse is a list. Paul names six kinds of things, each starting with the word whatsoever: things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Then he adds two broad tests: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise. Whatever passes those tests is what he wants the reader to dwell on.

In the KJV, 'honest' carries an older sense of honourable or worthy of respect, not only telling the truth. 'Of good report' means well spoken of, the kind of thing people can admire. 'Think on' means more than a passing thought; the Greek word behind it is often explained as to weigh, count up, and keep returning to something.

The next verse turns thinking into doing. Paul says the things they have learned, received, heard and seen in him, they should do, "and the God of peace shall be with you." So the verse is not about positive thinking for its own sake. It is about a mind that is shaped by what is good and then lives it out.

Christians have long read this verse alongside verses 6-7. Prayer with thanksgiving guards the heart and mind, and then verse 8 tells the reader what to let into that guarded mind.

Background and context

Philippians names Paul and Timothy (Timotheus) as its senders in the first verse. Paul wrote it while in bonds, that is, in custody (Philippians 1:13). Many date it to his imprisonment in Rome around AD 60-62, though some scholars suggest an earlier imprisonment.

Chapter 4 is the closing section of the letter. Just before this verse Paul urges two women, Euodias and Syntyche, to be of the same mind, tells the church to rejoice in the Lord, and teaches them to bring every worry to God in prayer. The word 'Finally' signals that he is gathering up his last instructions.

Key verses

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 · KJV

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Philippians 4:9 · KJV

Cross references

Philippians 4:9 The very next verse: put what you have learned into practice, and the God of peace will be with you.Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Colossians 3:2 Paul gives a similar instruction: set your affection on things above.Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Isaiah 26:3 Perfect peace is promised to the one whose mind is stayed on God.Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence, because the issues of life flow out of it.Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Psalm 19:14 David prays that the meditation of his heart would be acceptable to God.Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul speaks of bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Romans 12:2 Being transformed by the renewing of your mind.And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

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Common questions

What does Philippians 4:8 mean?

It means a believer should choose what to dwell on, filling the mind with things that are true, honourable, right, pure, lovely and well spoken of. The next verse adds that these things should also be practised, not only thought about.

Who wrote Philippians 4:8?

The apostle Paul. The letter opens with the names of Paul and Timotheus, and Paul wrote it while in custody, most likely in Rome.

What are the eight things in Philippians 4:8?

Things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, plus anything with virtue and anything worthy of praise.

What does 'honest' mean in Philippians 4:8 KJV?

In 1611 English it meant honourable or worthy of respect. Many modern versions translate the same word as 'honorable' or 'noble'.

How does Philippians 4:8 connect to verses 6 and 7?

Verses 6-7 tell the reader to pray instead of worrying, with the promise that God's peace will keep the heart and mind. Verse 8 then tells the reader what to think on.