Lesson sequence
Philippians 1: Greetings from Paul and Timothy
Philippians 1:1–2; Philippians 1:3–11; Philippians 1:12–20; Philippians 1:21–26; Philippians 1:27–30
Philippians 1 opens with a greeting from Paul and Timothy, then moves through thanks, prayer, hardship, courage and a call to live in a way worthy of the good news. This lesson sequence helps children trace that movement and notice the passage’s image language.
Before you teach
In these verses, Paul and Timothy greet the believers at Philippi. Paul thanks God for their partnership in the good news, prays for love to grow with knowledge and discernment, explains that his chains have served the progress of the good news, and urges the church to stand firm together in one spirit.
Students will identify who is speaking, trace the movement across Philippians 1:1-30, and explain one image and three linked parts of Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1:9-11.
Your lesson sequence
Use the teaching outline below for each session, with these reading and activity choices.
Greeting and blessing
Philippians 1:1–2
Students identify the senders, the receivers and the blessing at the start of the letter.
Try together: Read the greeting aloud, underline who is speaking and who is addressed, then make a simple class chart with the headings senders, receivers and blessing.
Thanksgiving and prayer
Philippians 1:3–11
Students trace the prayer’s progression: love abounding, knowledge and discernment, approving what is excellent, being sincere and without offence, and being filled with fruits of righteousness.
Try together: List what Paul thanks God for, then mark the steps of his prayer in order from verses 9 to 11. Finish by drawing or writing the image words fruits of righteousness and explaining how this image belongs at the end of the prayer.
Trials and the progress of the good news
Philippians 1:12–20
Students see that Paul says his bonds led to progress, bold speech and continued rejoicing in Christ being proclaimed.
Try together: Draw two columns labelled hard situation and what happened because of it. Fill them only with phrases from the passage, then discuss why Paul rejoices.
To live is Christ
Philippians 1:21–26
Students explain Paul’s tension between departing to be with Christ and remaining for the believers’ progress and joy.
Try together: Read the verses slowly and sort statements under two headings: depart and remain. Then state why Paul says remaining is needful.
Worthy of the good news
Philippians 1:27–30
Students identify Paul’s call to live worthily, stand firm together and face conflict without fear.
Try together: Create a group poster with the phrases worthy, stand firm, one spirit, one soul, striving, and not frightened. Use it to retell Paul’s instruction in order.
Welcome: trace the letter’s opening
4 minShow children that this reading is a letter. Point out the senders, the receivers and the blessing. Ask them to listen for repeated words such as Christ, good news, joy and prayer. Briefly explain that saints here means God’s people in Christ Jesus, and that grace and peace are part of the greeting.
Philippians 1:1, Philippians 1:2
Read and explain: thanks, prayer and the image of fruit
8 minRead Philippians 1:3-11 aloud in small parts. After each verse, pause to name the prayer’s progression: love abounding, knowledge and discernment, approving what is excellent, being sincere and without offence, and being filled with fruits of righteousness. Explain that fruits of righteousness is image language for visible results that are through Jesus Christ and bring glory and praise to God.
Philippians 1:3, Philippians 1:4, Philippians 1:5, Philippians 1:9, Philippians 1:10, Philippians 1:11
Discuss: hardship and courage
6 minRead Philippians 1:12-20. Help children notice the surprising turn: Paul says his bonds have led to progress for the good news and boldness in others. Explain that some preach from wrong motives and some from love, yet Paul rejoices that Christ is proclaimed and hopes Christ will be magnified in his body.
Philippians 1:12, Philippians 1:13, Philippians 1:14, Philippians 1:15, Philippians 1:17, Philippians 1:18, Philippians 1:20
Make and respond: life, prayer and standing firm card
8 minRead Philippians 1:21-30. Children make a simple card with three panels labelled Live, Pray and Stand Firm. In each panel they draw or write words from the passage such as fruit from work, fruits of righteousness, progress and joy in the faith, one spirit, one soul, and not frightened. Remind them the drawings are their response to the text, not extra details from it.
Philippians 1:11, Philippians 1:21, Philippians 1:22, Philippians 1:24, Philippians 1:25, Philippians 1:27, Philippians 1:28
Closing: speak the main movement together
4 minReview the passage in order with short prompts: greeting, thanks, prayer, progress in chains, Christ proclaimed, to live is Christ, stand firm together. Invite each child to say one phrase from Philippians 1 they remember. Finish with a brief prayer using the passage’s words about love, standing firm and boldness.
Philippians 1:1, Philippians 1:3, Philippians 1:9, Philippians 1:12, Philippians 1:18, Philippians 1:21, Philippians 1:27, Philippians 1:20
Questions to explore
Who sends this letter, and who receives it in Philippi?
Look closely at the opening line and name both the senders and the people addressed, including the groups mentioned with them.
Philippians 1:1
How does Paul’s prayer move forward in verses 9 to 11?
Start with love abounding, then add knowledge and discernment, approving what is excellent, being sincere and without offence, and finally being filled with fruits of righteousness.
Philippians 1:9, Philippians 1:10, Philippians 1:11
What does the image ‘fruits of righteousness’ add to Paul’s prayer?
Use the wording of verse 11 to explain that Paul prays for lives to be filled with results that are through Jesus Christ and lead to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:11
Make, think or respond
Philippians 1 Three-Panel Response Card
What you’ll need
- paper or thin card
- pencils or textas
- Bible text
- crayons or coloured pencils
- ruler
Try it together
- Fold or divide a sheet into three panels labelled Thanks, Prayer and Stand Firm.
- In the first panel, children write or draw one thing Paul thanks God for from Philippians 1:3-5.
- In the second panel, they add the prayer’s movement from Philippians 1:9-11 and include the image words fruits of righteousness.
- In the third panel, they draw or write the shared life Paul calls for in Philippians 1:27-30, such as one spirit, one soul and not frightened.
- Invite children to read their panels aloud in the order of the passage.
The card helps children trace the wording and movement of Philippians 1 and notice that Paul’s prayer grows toward being filled with fruits of righteousness.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, pre-write the panel titles and let them choose one key word or simple drawing from each section of the passage.
- For older or more confident readers, ask them to add verse numbers beside each panel detail and explain why Paul rejoices even while in bonds.
An optional closing prayer
Dear God, thank you for your people and for the good news of Christ. Please help our love abound more and more in knowledge and all discernment, help us stand firm in one spirit, and help us with boldness so that Christ is magnified. Amen.
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Philippians 1
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God whenever I remember you,
4 always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy,
5 for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now;
6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
7 It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.
8 For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.
9 This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
12 Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News,
13 so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ,
14 and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.
16 The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;
17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.
18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this will turn out to my salvation through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose.
23 But I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
24 Yet to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.
25 Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 that your boasting may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.
27 Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;
28 and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.
29 Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,
30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.