Home › Glossary › Letter P

Philippi

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A Roman colony in Macedonia where Paul founded a church and was imprisoned.

Detailed Definition
Philippi (Acts 16) marks the Gospel’s entry into Europe. In poetry, it symbolizes joyful faith amid suffering, the dignity of jailers and slaves, and the birth of Christian community in the heart of imperial territory.
Example
Example in poetry:
Philippi—Macedonian city of Paul’s ministry—inspires joy poetry: “From Philippi’s prison, songs shook chains at midnight”; A modern poem: “My Philippi is the dark cell where praise unlocks freedom”; In a sonnet on partnership: “Paul wrote to Philippi: ‘Rejoice! Again I say, rejoice!’”; Historical verse: “Blessed Philippi, first European church born in earthquake and joy.”
Additional Notes
Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia, was the site of Paul’s first European mission (Acts 16), where he converted Lydia, cast out a spirit from a slave girl, and was imprisoned before an earthquake led to the jailer’s conversion. Paul’s later letter to the Philippians emphasizes joy amid suffering. In poetry, Philippi represents the birth of Gentile Christianity in the heart of the empire, the paradox of chains becoming conduits of gospel, and the resilience of joy in adversity—making it rich ground for verse on freedom, community, and embodied faith.
Also Known As
Philippians
Skip to main content