Paul now speaks of two classes of preachers with different motives. Of course is used in the sense of “it is true” (Goodspeed Jerusalem Bible New American Bible) or “indeed” (Revised Standard Version New English Bible). Some of them seems to refer to a segment of most of the brothers mentioned in the previous verse (it may be useful to render this phrase as “some of the brothers” or “some of our fellow believers”). However, it is sometimes argued that Paul is here referring to preachers in general on the ground that jealous and quarrelsome motives can hardly be compatible with the attitude of confidence in the Lord which some of them apparently had. It is very difficult to determine who these preachers are. That they are Jewish Christians who insist on going back to Jewish ways seems unlikely, since Paul does not accuse them of any false teachings. In any case, they are “pro-Christ” but “anti-Paul” preachers.
The word translated preach is the standard New Testament word for the preaching of the gospel. It has substantially the same meaning as the word translated proclaim in verse 17 and as preached in verse 18. The latter is a compound verb which may signify “to proclaim with authority,” but the two words are used interchangeably in this context (cf. vv. 15, 17, 18). It may be impossible to translate preach Christ literally, since in many languages one can only “preach about Christ” or “tell people about Christ.” To indicate clearly that this is a proclamation of the good news about Christ, it may be useful to render preach Christ as “tell the good news about Christ.”
Because they are jealous and quarrelsome (literally, “on account of envy and strife”) explains the motives of the preachers (New American Bible “from the motives of envy and rivalry”; New English Bible “in a jealous and quarrelsome spirit”). One may find it necessary to indicate the so-called “object” of jealous, in which case it is probably best to say “because they are jealous of me.” Yet one must be cautious in the use of a term such as “jealous,” for it may imply meanings which do not fit this context. Hence one may need to use such an expression as “they are unhappy because of what I have been able to do,” or “they are envious because of my success.” Quarrelsome may be rendered as “they quarrel with others,” “they habitually quarrel with people,” or “they quarrel with me.” In some languages “to quarrel” is “to fight with words.”
The meaning of the biblical word translated good will varies greatly according to the context. It is used of God’s “choice and pleasure” in Matt 11.26; Luke 10.21; and Eph 1.5. It is sometimes used in the sense of a person’s “wish” or “desire” (e.g. Rom 10.1). In the present context it means “good will” or, as Jerusalem Bible renders it, “right intention” (Phillips “good faith”). It is possible that the meaning here refers to good will toward Paul, since Paul is speaking of the preachers’ attitude toward him in the context. “Good will” toward the gospel which he proclaims is, of course, presupposed.
If good will is understood to refer to the attitude of these preachers toward the gospel, then one may translate from genuine good will as “because they like the gospel,” or “because they are fully in favor of the gospel.” Similarly, if one understands that the good will is directed toward Paul, one may translate “because they are favorably disposed toward me.” One may, however, wish to emphasize, in rendering good will, the concept of “right intentions,” in which case one may translate from genuine good will as “because their purposes are altogether good” or “because what they want to accomplish is perfectly right.”
Quoted with permission from Luo, I-Jin. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .