Philippians 4:11

want Better, perhaps, need, as less extremein meaning. The Greek word occurs elsewhere only Mark 12:44; of the great poverty of the Widow.

I Slightly emphatic. He implies an appeal to them to learn his secret for themselves.

have learned Lit., "did learn"; but probably the A.V. (and R.V.) rightly represent the Greek. It is possible, however, that he refers to the time of waiting for their aid as his learning time; "I learned, in that interval, a lesson of content."

He implies in any case that the pause in their assistance had been a time of some privation, though not from the higher point of view.

content Lit., "self-sufficient"; in the sense of omnia mea mecum porto. He did not depend upon circumstances for satisfaction. Such "sufficiency," but on very different principles, was a favourite Stoic virtue.