What does Philippians 4:13 mean?
Last updated
Philippians 4:13 says Christ gives Paul strength for whatever state he is in. The surrounding verses are about being content in plenty and in need, and Paul wrote from prison. It is a verse about endurance, not a promise that you will win every goal.
The verse
The King James text of Philippians 4:13 is one of the most quoted lines in the Bible. The word “all” is the one people read fastest, and it is also the word most often stretched past what Paul meant. The way to read it is to look at what surrounds it.
Philippians 4:13 (KJV): “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
What comes before it
Paul has just said he has learned to be content in any state. He knows what it is to have little and to have plenty. So “all things” in verse 13 points back to those two ends, being full or hungry, and strength here means being able to bear both.
Philippians 4:11 (KJV): “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:12 (KJV): “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”
Where Paul wrote from
Paul mentions his chains in this letter. Philippians 1:13 (KJV): “So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;” He is writing to a church that sent him help, and he thanks them in chapter 4. The strength he speaks of belongs to someone in hard circumstances.
How to use it today
Use it before something hard that you cannot change: a long recovery, a lean season, a tense family dinner. It asks for contentment and endurance. It does not say that effort and preparation are optional, and it does not promise the result you want.
Pair it with verses 11 and 12 on a card so the context travels with the line.
Frequently asked questions
What is Philippians 4:13 in the KJV?
The KJV reads: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Does it mean I can do anything?
In context it is about being content and strong in both plenty and need, not guaranteed success at any goal.
Who wrote Philippians?
The letter is attributed to Paul the Apostle, with Timothy named as co-sender.
Where was Paul when he wrote it?
He mentions his chains in chapter 1, and the letter is usually read as written during imprisonment.
What verses should I read with it?
Philippians 4:10-13, so you see the whole point about contentment.
Does BibleScroll explain verses?
Tap a verse for a plain-words AI explanation. AI answers can be wrong, so read the text yourself.
Try BibleScroll free
One verse per swipe. Full King James text free. AI help on any verse.