Philippians 2:26
For he mlonged after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
ἐπειδὴ ἐπιποθῶν ἦν πάντας ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἀδημονῶν, διότι ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἠσθένησε·
Textual key: no entry
m:
Philippians 1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
he gives them the first reason of his present sending, not that Epaphroditus was unwilling to stay longer with him, but because he was greatly concerned for all of them of the church at Philippi, who had his heart, as they had Paul’s, Php 1:8 4:1 Rom 1:11; solicitous to be with them to do their souls good.
especially, considering their great affection to him, whom they had intrusted in this service, he was in such distress for them, that his spirits were even ready to fail him {as Mat 26:37} from sympathy, 2Co 11:29.
knowing how much the certain report of his dangerous sickness in those circumstances, when they could understand nothing of his recovery, would affect them.