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 1:22

1:22 Now if I am to go on living in the body, ³  this will mean productive work ⁴  for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer: ⁵ 

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. ⁶  If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, ⁷  I have more:

Philippians 3:11

3:11 and so, somehow, ⁸  to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:15

3:15 Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view. ⁹  If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways. ¹⁰ 

Philippians 4:8

4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, ¹¹  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 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 1:27

1:27 Only conduct yourselves ¹³  in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that – whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent – I should hear that ¹⁴  you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel, ¹⁵ 

Philippians 2:19

Models for Ministry

2:19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you.

Philippians 3:5

3:5 I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. ¹⁶ 

Philippians 4:7

4:7 And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds ¹⁷  in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:12

4:12 I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, ¹⁸  whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.

[2:1]  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.

[2:1]  ² tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.

[1:22]  ³ tn Grk “flesh.”

[1:22]  ⁴ 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).

[1:22]  ⁵ 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).

[3:4]  ⁵ tn Grk “though I have reason for confidence even in the flesh.”

[3:4]  ⁶ tn Grk “flesh.”

[3:11]  ⁷ tn On εἰ πῶς (ei pws) as “so, somehow” see BDAG 279, s.v. εἰ 6.n.

[3:15]  ⁹ tn Grk “those of us who are ‘perfect’ should think this,” or possibly “those of us who are mature should think this.”

[3:15]  ¹⁰ 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.

[4:8]  ¹¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[3:12]  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.

[1:27]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “live as citizens.” The verb πολιτεύεσθε (politeuesqe) connotes the life of a freeman in a free Roman colony.

[1:27]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “the things concerning you, [namely,] that.” The ὅτι (Joti) clause is appositional to τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν (ta peri Jumwn) and therefore “the things concerning you” was not translated.

[1:27]  ¹⁷ tn The phrase “the faith of the gospel” could mean one of three things: “the faith that is the gospel” (genitive of apposition), “the faith that originates from the gospel” (genitive of source), or “faith in the gospel” (objective genitive).

[3:5]  ¹⁷ sn A Pharisee was a member of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.

[4:7]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “will guard the hearts of you and the minds of you.” To improve the English style, the second occurrence of ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “of you”) has not been translated, since it is somewhat redundant in English.

[4:12]  ²¹ tn The words “of contentment” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by Paul’s remarks at the end of v. 11.