Philippians 2:1

Christian Unity and Christ’s Humility

2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, ¹  any affection or mercy, ² 

Philippians 3:11

3:11 and so, somehow, ³  to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 4:8

4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, ⁴  whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.

Philippians 1:22

1:22 Now if I am to go on living in the body, ⁵  this will mean productive work ⁶  for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer: ⁷ 

Philippians 2:17

2:17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you.

Philippians 3:4

3:4 – though mine too are significant. ⁸  If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, ⁹  I have more:

Philippians 3:15

3:15 Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view. ¹⁰  If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways. ¹¹ 

Philippians 3:12

Keep Going Forward

3:12 Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. ¹² 

Philippians 4:15

4:15 And as you Philippians know, at the beginning of my gospel ministry, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in this matter of giving and receiving except you alone.

¹ tn Or “spiritual fellowship” if πνεύματος (pneumato") is an attributive genitive; or “fellowship brought about by the Spirit” if πνεύματος is a genitive of source or production.

² tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.

³ tn On εἰ πῶς (ei pws) as “so, somehow” see BDAG 279, s.v. εἰ 6.n.

⁵ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

⁷ tn Grk “flesh.”

⁸ tn Grk “fruit of work”; the genitive ἔργου (ergou) is taken as an attributed genitive in which the head noun, καρπός (karpos), functions attributively (cf. ExSyn 89-91).

⁹ tn Grk “what I shall prefer.” The Greek verb αἱρέω (Jairew) could also mean “choose,” but in this context such a translation is problematic for it suggests that Paul could perhaps choose suicide (cf. L&N 30.86).

⁹ tn Grk “though I have reason for confidence even in the flesh.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “flesh.”

¹¹ tn Grk “those of us who are ‘perfect’ should think this,” or possibly “those of us who are mature should think this.”

¹² tn Grk “reveal this to you.” The referent of the pronoun “this” is the fact that the person is thinking differently than Paul does. This has been specified in the translation with the phrase “the error of your ways”; Paul is stating that God will make it known to these believers when they are not in agreement with Paul.

¹³ tn Grk “that for which I also was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” The passive has been translated as active in keeping with contemporary English style.