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For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:8)

Paul, here, states that God is one who will attest that Paul is speaking the truth in what he has said about his relationship with the Philippian believers. He has a deep-seated desire for them.

Here he uses a Greek idiom when speaking of this. In this verse, the word translated affection is actually the Greek word splangna, which means “bowels.” It is used for the word affection, like the Hebrew word rachameen is used in the Old Testament. They placed the seat of our feelings of mercy in the bowels of man.^[1] These feelings of affection come from Jesus living in Paul. As Christians, we, too, should feel a deep-seated affection toward one another.

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For God is my witness. Paul can sincerely and earnestly appeal to him.

How I long for you all. How much Paul desires to see them and how much he is concerned with their well-being.

With the affection of Christ Jesus. As was stated above, the Greek here literally reads (ἐν in σπλάγχνοις bowels Χριστοῦ of Christ Ἰησοῦ Jesus). The word “bowels” or “intestines” in the Scriptures is used metaphorically to denote a deeply felt compassion, affection. (2Co 6:12; Php 1:8; 2:1; Col 3:12; 1Jo 3:17) The reference here is to the sympathy, tenderness, and love of Jesus Christ toward others, which Paul had for them as well. So, to reiterate, the meaning is that Paul considered them with the same affection which Jesus had for them. This was the fondest, most powerful, and deepest expression which was available to him to convey the fervor of his affection, love, friendship, partnership, and connection to them.

[1] E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech used in the Bible (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1968). P. 679.