In Philippians 1:12 Paul uses a word to describe his experiences in Rome as a prisoner awaiting trial before the emperor. It seems he may have intended a play on words. And because he wrote in Greek, and we read in English, that play on words is lost in translation.

These Christians from Philippi in northern Greece were concerned about Paul’s circumstances and had decided to send him some monetary help and emotional reassurance. They were not a wealthy church, not even by the standards of...