Some translations interpret this verse as a summary of the author’s reaction to the situation described in verses 12-17, and so include it in the preceding paragraph (so Moffatt). It is, however, awkward to begin a new paragraph with verse 19. As the particle “for” at the beginning of verse 19 clearly indicates, the verse is meant to explain what is said in verse 18b. For this reason a number of translations introduce a new paragraph at verse 18b (so Spanish common language translation [Biblia Dios Habla Hoy], New International Version [New International Version]; Revised Standard Version also begins a new paragraph here, but makes it a part of verse 19). However, the author’s style in repeating the note of “joy” makes the break at verse 18b unlikely. A third possibility is to introduce a new paragraph at the beginning of verse 18. It does not matter! then would serve both as a summary of Paul’s reaction to what is said in verses 15-17 and as a transition to what comes after. This interpretation, which is favored by a greater number of translations (so Goodspeed Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch French common language translation [Bible en français courant] New American Bible), is probably the one to be preferred.
Paul will not allow himself to be troubled by those preachers who proclaim Christ from impure motives and in open hostility toward him. In Greek the verse begins with a rhetorical question without supplying an answer, literally, “What then?” (Goodspeed “What difference does it make?”) The Good News Translation rendering It does not matter! is an explicit answer to what is already implicit both in the context and in the question.
The significance of the pronoun it in It does not matter! may be obscure if this sentence is rendered literally into another language. One may find it preferable to render the sentence as “What they want to do to me does not matter,” “What they are doing does not really concern me,” or “… cause me anxiety.” Similarly, I am happy about it may be rendered as “I am happy about what has happened.”
In this verse the verb translated happy (Revised Standard Version “rejoice”) occurs twice. In some translations the two verbs are separated only by a comma (American Standard Version “and therein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice”; cf. King James Version), making the second clause an echo of the first. But most modern translations put a full stop (New American Bible Phillips Goodspeed) after the first instance of the verb and a comma after the second, thus connecting the second half of the sentence with verse 19. Revised Standard Version and New English Bible rearrange the location of the verse numbers and make the second “happy” clause part of verse 19. Good News Translation offers yet another alternative, it moves the first “happy” clause to the beginning of the sentence, thus completely separating it from the second “happy” clause.
I am happy about it, that is, about the fact that Christ is being proclaimed regardless of motives. Just so has the sense of “the one thing that really matters is,” or “my only concern is” (Goodspeed “all that matters is”; Bruce “this is all that matters”).
Expressions for joy or happiness frequently require elaborate idiomatic structures. I am happy may, for example, be rendered in some languages as “my abdomen is sweet,” “my insides are cool,” or “I dance within.”
Since what does matter for Paul is that Christ is preached in every way possible, it may be important in some languages to relate this statement more closely to the initial negative statement, It does not matter! For example, one may render verse 18 as “What they are doing to cause me trouble is not important. What is important is that Christ is preached in every way possible, regardless of whether men’s purposes are wrong or right. That Christ is preached is what causes me to be happy, and I will continue to be happy.”
Whether from right or wrong motives (literally, “whether in pretense or in truth”) further expands and defines in every way possible. The word rendered “pretense” in some translations is a noun meaning “ostensible” (usually insincere) reason. Paul is not suggesting here that the preachers do not really believe what they preach, but rather that they use the name of Christ as a cover or pretext for selfish ends; thus they have wrong … motives (Jerusalem Bible “dishonest motives”; cf. Mark 12.40; Acts 27.30). The Greek expression rendered as right motives in Good News Translation is translated by Moffatt as “honestly” and in New English Bible as “sincerely.” Whether from right or wrong motives may require considerable expansion, especially in languages where motives must be expressed by a verbal form, for example, “whether what they want is right or wrong,” “whether what they expect to gain from such preaching is right or wrong,” or “whether they are preaching for the sake of Christ or only for their own sake.”
Paul is assured that the future will bring fresh reasons for happiness: And I will continue to be happy (future tense in Greek). The reason is given in verse 19. And here has the force of “yes” (Revised Standard Version New English Bible Phillips) or “indeed” (New American Bible).
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 .