Now I want you to know, brethren: Ginoskein (PAN) de humas boulomai, (1SPMI) adelphoi:

Lest you should be misinformed, I would have you know (Lightfoot)

But after mature consideration I desire you to gain this knowledge from (my) experience, (Wuest)

Now it is my purpose to make clear to you, brothers (BBE)

Now I want you to know and continue to rest assured, brethren. (Amp)

Want (boulomai) speaks of a desire that has purpose and intention back of it. It is “will” with determination. The desire came after mature consideration. The prayer is ended. Paul next rehearses his blessings, that is, the benefits that have resulted from his imprisonment. Jowett calls this section “The Fortune of Misfortune.”

Verses 12-26 all refer to what is happening to Paul and then in v27-30 we see what happens to the Philippians. Paul wants them to know the truth that he is learning in prison so that when they go through those difficult times, they will be victorious.

“Know” (ginosko) means to know by experience. The present tense indicates that Paul wants them to know and to keep on knowing. I don't want you to forget what I am getting ready to write. The Philippian saints, he desired, should learn something from his experience. Paul’s difficult circumstances, namely, his journey to Rome and imprisonment there Ac21-28). Paul did not complain about his circumstances or his chains but instead consecrated them to God and asked God to use them for the pioneer advance of the Gospel. And God answered his prayers. Nothing ever "just happens" to a saint. Things either come directly from God or they reach us from some other source by His permissive will. The things that were then dominating Paul’s life were those connected with his imprisonment.
           
Paul assures the Philippian saints that his circumstances have not only failed to curtail his missionary work, but they have advanced it, and not only that, they have brought about a pioneer advance in regions where otherwise it could not have gone. It is so in our lives. Our God-ordained or God-permitted circumstances are used of God to provide for a pioneer advance of the gospel in our Christian service.

that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel: hoi hoti ta kat' eme mallon eis prokopen tou euaggeliou eleluthen, (3SRAI):  (Acts 21:28-36; 22:1-30; 28:1-31) (Ex 18:11; Est 9:1; Ps 76:10; Acts 8:4; 11:19-21; Ro 8:28 8:37; 2Ti 2:9)

that what has happened to me has, in effect, turned out to the advantage of the Gospel (Phillips)

that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. (Lightfoot 1)

that my sufferings and restraints, so far from being prejudicial to the Gospel, have served to advance it. (Lightfoot 2)

that my circumstances have come to result rather in the pioneer advance of the gospel (Wuest)

that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel (NIV)

the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel (NKJV)

what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, (NRSV)

that the cause of the good news has been helped by my experiences (BBE)

that what [has happened] to me [this imprisonment] has actually only served to advance and give a renewed impetus to the [spreading of the] good news (the Gospel). (Amp)

that what I have gone through has turned out to the furtherance of the Good News rather than otherwise (Weymouth)

my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel (NET)

Have turned out (2064) (erchomai) means to come or go, to fall out. In the present verse it means to happen, with the implication of the event being directed to someone or something. Perfect tense means it happened at a point in time in the past and the effects or results are still present.

Progress (advance of, spread of, promotion of) (proskope from  pró =before or forward + kópto = cut, strike, impel) (proskope 2 more times Php 1:22, 1Ti 4:15) refers to forward movement of something often of armies in spite of obstacles, dangers, and distractions.

Proskope was used to describe an army of pioneer wood cutters preceding the regular army, cutting a road through an otherwise impenetrable forest, thus making possible the pioneer advance of the regulars into regions where they otherwise could not have marched. And so too it was with Paul's seemingly horrid afflictions - his sufferings removed obstacles allowing the gospel to be presented in arenas that would otherwise have been "impenetrable".

Persecution in one place has often been the means of advancing and spreading the Gospel in other places, a classic illustration being the dispersion of the church in Acts 8 where Luke writes that

Saul (Paul before regeneration) was in hearty agreement with putting him (Stephen) to death. And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (Acts 8:1)

The results of this "progress" have continued to reverberate throughout the world ever since. God declares in Isaiah

My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways (Isiah 55:8)

Obstacles that seem to be "roadblocks" are but stepping stones to opportunities in the providential outworking of our omnipotent, omniscient God. 

Proskope  was also a technical term in Stoic philosophy for “progress toward wisdom". Paul’s imprisonment proved to be no hindrance to spreading the message of salvation and in fact created new opportunities. The New Jerusalem Bible paraphrases it as

"the circumstances of my present life are helping rather than hindering the advance of the gospel."

The opposite idea is expressed by the related word egkopto (en = in + kópto = cut) which in classic Greek was used as a military metaphor meaning to cut in on, throw obstacles in the way of or to cut up the road so that normal movement was impossible. Paul wrote to the Galatians

You were running well. Who hindered (egkopto) you from obeying the truth? (Gal 5:7). 

Gospel (2098) (euaggelion from eú = good + aggéllo = proclaim, tell) (Click in dept word study) means good news, glad tidings, Saxon = gōd-spell = lit. "good tale, message". Euaggelion originally referred to a reward for good news and later became the good news itself. The word euaggelion was in just as common use in the first century as our words good news today.  “Have you any good news for me today?” would have been a common question.  In this secular use euaggelion described good news of any kind and prior to the writing of the New Testament, had no definite religious connotation in the ancient world until it was taken over by the "Cult of Caesar" which was the state religion and in which the emperor was worshipped as a god (see more discussion of this use below). The writers of the New Testament adapted the term as God's message of salvation for lost sinners.

The writers of the New Testament adapted the term as God's message of salvation for lost sinners. Euaggelion is found in several combination phrases, each describing the gospel like a multifaceted jewel in various terms from a different viewpoint (from the NASB, 1977):

The gospel is succinctly and accurately stated by Paul in 1Corinthians 15:1-5...

Now I make known to you [since it seems to have escaped you], brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain (does not teach that true believers are in danger of losing their salvation, but it is a warning against non–saving faith -- could be translated "unless your faith is worthless" -- holding fast was the result and evidence of genuine salvation). 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. (See notes 1Corinthians 15:1; 15:2; 15:3; 15:4; 15:5; 15:6 ; 15:7 ;15:8)

DEVOTIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
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When Trouble Strikes (Our Daily Bread) Dave Dravecky had pitched with remarkable success for the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants baseball teams. But his pitching arm developed an unusual soreness. Medical tests identified the problem--cancer. Surgery and months of rehabilitation followed. Then, after pitching for a time in the minor leagues, Dave made a widely applauded comeback to the majors. But in Montreal, as he was delivering a pitch, his arm snapped. The cancer had not gone away. To save his life, doctors removed his arm and much of his shoulder. A committed Christian, Dave didn't wallow in self-pity. He said, "There is no struggle about feeling sorry for myself. The question is not, 'Why me, God?' The question is, 'What is Your plan for me?' " Then he said, "I see this as God giving me the opportunity to share the gospel with a lot of people."

Just as Paul saw how adversity could lead to opportunity (Phil. 1:12), Dave has seen God open doors to speak about his faith in Christ. Audiences are willing to listen because he is a living testimony of human grit and divine grace. When trouble strikes, destroying our dreams or crippling our bodies, do we react with self-pity? Or do we see an opportunity to demonstrate the sufficiency of God's grace? --VCG

He Giveth More Grace
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.
--Annie Johnson Flint (play hymn)

Trouble and the grace to bear it come in the same package.

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"The Power of Chains"  "To begin with, these chains gave Paul contact with the lost. He was chained to a Roman soldier twenty-four hours a day! The shifts changed every six hours, which meant Paul could witness to at least four men each day! Imagine yourself as one of those soldiers, chained to a man who prayed “without ceasing,” who was constantly interviewing people about their spiritual condition, and who was repeatedly writing letters to Christians and churches throughout the Empire! It was not long before some of these soldiers put their faith in Christ. Paul was able to get the Gospel into the elite Praetorian Guard, something he could not have done had he been a free man.  But the chains gave Paul contact with another group of people: the officials in Caesar’s court. He was in Rome as an official prisoner, and his case was an important one. The Roman government was going to determine the official status of this new “Christian” sect. Was it merely another sect of the Jews? Or was it something new and possibly dangerous? Imagine how pleased Paul must have been knowing that the court officials were forced to study the doctrines of the Christian faith!

Sometimes God has to put “chains” on His people to get them to accomplish a “pioneer advance” that could never happen any other way. Young mothers may feel chained to the home as they care for their children, but God can use those “chains” to reach people with the message of salvation. Susannah Wesley was the mother of nineteen children, before the days of labor-saving devices and disposable diapers! Out of that large family came John and Charles Wesley, whose combined ministries shook the British Isles. At six weeks of age, Fanny Crosby was blinded, but even as a youngster she determined not to be confined by the chains of darkness. In time, she became a mighty force for God through her hymns and Gospel songs.

The secret is this: when you have the single mind, you look on your circumstances as God-given opportunities for the furtherance of the Gospel; and you rejoice at what God is going to do instead of complaining about what God did not do.

Paul’s chains not only gave contact with the lost, but they also gave courage to the saved. Many of the believers in Rome took fresh courage when they saw Paul’s faith and determination (Phil. 1:14). They were “much more bold to speak the word without fear.” That word speak does not mean “preach.” Rather, it means “everyday conversation.” No doubt many of the Romans were discussing Paul’s case, because such legal matters were of primary concern to this nation of lawmakers. And the Christians in Rome who were sympathetic to Paul took advantage of this conversation to say a good word for Jesus Christ. Discouragement has a way of spreading, but so does encouragement! Because of Paul’s joyful attitude, the believers in Rome took fresh courage and witnessed boldly for Christ. " (Warren Wiersbe)

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It's Contagious: (Our Daily Bread) A close friend of mine was confronted by a sign-carrying street preacher at Michigan State University. My friend, who was a student at the school and had been a Christian for only 2 years, had mixed feelings about the situation. He had encountered street preachers before. They had shouted the message of salvation in a style and spirit that seemed to do more harm than good to the testimony of Christ.

But this man was different from the rest. My friend gradually became confident that this brother in Christ was speaking the truth in love. Soon he found himself offering to hold the sign for the tiring evangelist. This meant that my friend became the target of insults from fellow students. Another student asked him why he was carrying the sign. She expressed the same misgivings he had experienced earlier. He explained that the message and the spirit of this brother seemed right. A short time later, the woman asked my friend if she could hold the sign.

The street preacher's conviction was contagious. Does our willingness to identify with the Savior encourage others to do the same? Our commitment needs to be strong enough to be contagious. --M R De Haan II (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Consider Praying the following poem...

Set us afire, Lord,
Stir us we pray!
While the world perishes,
We go our way

Purposeless, passionless,
Day after day;
Set us afire, Lord,
Stir us we pray.
--Ralph Spaulding Cushman.

Enthusiasm for Christ is contagious.
Has anyone caught it from you?

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The Fallacy (Our Daily Bread): Once we resolve to obey God completely, it's easy to assume that life will go more smoothly. When it does, we think this proves that we're in God's will. If we run into obstacles, however, we're apt to conclude that both we and what we're doing are out of God's will. Rather than question our measuring stick, we question our dedication, and sometimes even God. A mature Christian once said, "It's a fallacy to believe that if we obey God, everything will go well. Being dedicated to God means going with Him even when things go wrong. In fact," he said assuredly, "the gospel advances on disaster and suffering."

Although Paul was imprisoned when he wrote to the Philippians, his hardships didn't alarm him. His goal was to preach the gospel, and he didn't question that goal just because he had been arrested. He made the most of the circumstances and proclaimed Christ to his captors. His chains had furthered the gospel (Phil. 1:12-14). Consider your spiritual gifts and goals. Do you believe they're from God when they flourish but question them when they lead to difficulties? Don't be fooled by the fallacy that life will be easy if you obey God. God doesn't remove difficulties; He uses them for your good and for His glory. --J E Yoder (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

The difficulties in our lives,
The obstacles we face,
Give God the opportunity
To show His power and grace. --Sper

Smooth seas don't make skillful sailors.

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Finding Gain In Loss: (Our Daily Bread) Evil men, not God, threw the apostle Paul into prison, hoping to put an end to his ministry. But their plan backfired, and the gospel spread (Phil. 1:12-13). Paul didn't know why God allowed his imprisonment, but he saw how God used it for good.  When All-Star baseball player Dave Dravecky lost his pitching arm to cancer, he struggled to find the reason for his loss by adding up the positive gains in his life. He eventually realized that he had been confusing the results of his loss with trying to understand God's unknowable purposes.

To illustrate the difference, Dave refers to his amputated arm. One result of his radical surgery was that medical researchers had cancerous tissue to study that could advance their knowledge of the disease. This is something good. "It wouldn't be such a good thing, though," Dave writes, "if the purpose for my surgery was to provide an arm so that the pathology department would have a specimen to study." That may be one result, but it doesn't explain God's higher purpose. Instead of trying to discover God's hidden purpose for his cancer, Dave now focuses on a result that he has seen: "I used to depend on myself. Now I depend more on God." That may be his biggest gain of all. --J E Yoder  (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

O Lord, I would not ask You why
Some trial comes my way,
But what there is for me to learn
Of Your great love, I pray. --DJD

We cannot control the wind,
but we can adjust our sails.

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A young pitcher who entered the major leagues had such a blazing fastball that he didn't think he needed to work on his control, his changeup, or his curve. Consequently, he failed to make the grade and was sent back to the minor leagues. Though disappointed, he worked on these pitches, and in time became a superstar.

Winston Churchill failed twice to win an elected office during the early 1920s and had little political influence all through the 1930s. But he kept developing his talents, and in 1940 he became the Prime Minister of England. Today he is acclaimed as a great hero. The apostle Paul planned to go to Rome to preach the gospel as a free man, but he was taken there as a prisoner instead. It looked as if he had failed to achieve his noble ambition. In his place of confine­ment, however, he witnessed to the guards with such persuasion that most of them were converted, and from his prison he wrote some of his outstanding epistles. That's why he could write to the Christians in Philippi that everything had turned out for the advancement of the gospel.

When our carefully laid plans fizzle, it's time to analyze our failure and take appropriate action. If we discover that we blundered, we can correct our mistakes. If we trace our seeming lack of success to cir­cumstances beyond our control, we can ask God to teach us what He wants us to learn and trust Him to bring good out of our disappoint­ments. A failure then becomes a steppingstone to success. —H V Lugt (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Most successes follow many failures.

so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard: hoste tous desmous mou phanerous en Christo genesthai (AMN) en hole to praitorio:  (Acts 20:23 20:24; 21:11-13; 26:29 26:31; 28:17 28:20; Eph 3:1; 4:1; 6:20; Col 4:3-18)  (1Pe 4:12-16) (Phil 4:22, 1Th 1:8