Philippians 4:12

Majority Text:
οἶδα καὶ ταπεινοῦσθαι οἶδα καὶ περισσεύειν ἐν παντὶ καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν μεμύημαι καὶ χορτάζεσθαι καὶ πεινᾶν καὶ περισσεύειν καὶ ὑστερεῖσθαι

KJV:
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Comments:
abased…abound: The Greek word Paul uses to say “abased” means to be lowered, humiliated, or stripped of anything that might afford pride. In contrast, the word he chooses for “abound” means to overflow, in which state a person would be inclined to pride. He repeats the vocabulary of “abound” at the end of this verse as well. But there the point is that in either condition (stripped or overflowing) his attitude is to reflect both aspects of the reality that he is in Christ.

full…hungry: Paul is to be satisfied that he has Christ, but aware of the still great need around him in the world, for righteousness for instance. This hunger is the one blessed in Matthew 5:6.

Expanded Paraphrase:
I have been humiliated to the point of prostration, and I have been exalted beyond measure. But I also understand how I am supposed to behave in each of those conditions. Because Christ does not change, I am always everywhere to be the same. Whether in penury or abundance I am to be in some ways satisfied (as I am personally) and in other ways pining (as I do for righteousness in the world), in some ways overflowing and in others wanting.