Philippians 4:17 (ASV)

Passage

Not that I seek for the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account.

Nearby Context

Philippians 4:15 And ye yourselves also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only;

Philippians 4:16 for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need.

Philippians 4:17 Not that I seek for the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account.

Philippians 4:18 But I have all things, and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things [that came] from you, and odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.

Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "seek", "gift", "fruit", "increaseth", and "account". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "seek" and "gift", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "for even in Thessalonica ye sent once..." into verse 18's "But I have all things and abound...", so "seek" and "gift" belong inside that flow. In Philippians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "seek" and "gift" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.