Philippians 3:1

True and False Righteousness

3:1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, ¹  rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Philippians 1:2

1:2 Grace and peace to you ²  from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Philippians 2:5

2:5 You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, ³ 

Philippians 1:6

1:6 For I am sure of this very thing, ⁴  that the one ⁵  who began a good work in ⁶  you will perfect it ⁷  until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:29

1:29 For it has been granted to you ⁸  not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him,

Philippians 2:13

2:13 for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.

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 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 3:15

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 1:25

1:25 And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress ¹¹  and joy in the faith, ¹² 

Philippians 3:18

3:18 For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

[3:1]  ¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[1:2]  ² tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”

[2:5]  ³ tn Grk “Have this attitude in/among yourselves which also [was] in Christ Jesus,” or “Have this attitude in/among yourselves which [you] also [have] in Christ Jesus.”

[1:6]  ⁴ tn Grk “since I am sure of this very thing.” The verse begins with an adverbial participle that is dependent on the main verb in v. 3 (“I thank”). Paul here gives one reason for his thankfulness.

[1:6]  ⁵ tn The referent is clearly God from the overall context of the paragraph and the mention of “the day of Christ Jesus” at the end, which would be redundant if Christ were referred to here.

[1:6]  ⁶ tn Or “among.”

[1:6]  ⁷ tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[1:29]  ⁵ tn Grk “For that which is on behalf of Christ has been granted to you – namely, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him.” The infinitive phrases are epexegetical to the subject, τὸ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ (to Juper Cristou), which has the force of “the on-behalf-of-Christ thing,” or “the thing on behalf of Christ.” To translate this in English requires a different idiom.

[3:15]  ⁶ tn Grk “those of us who are ‘perfect’ should think this,” or possibly “those of us who are mature should think this.”

[3:15]  ⁷ 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.

[1:25]  ⁷ tn Grk “for your progress.”

[1:25]  ⁸ sn Paul’s confidence in his release from prison (I know that I will remain and continue with all of you) implies that this Roman imprisonment did not end in his death. Hence, there is the likelihood that he experienced a second Roman imprisonment later on (since the belief of the early church was that Paul died under Nero in Rome). If so, then the pastoral letters (1-2 Tim, Titus) could well fit into a life of Paul that goes beyond any descriptions in the book of Acts (which ends with Paul’s first Roman imprisonment). Some have argued that the pastorals cannot be genuine because they cannot fit into the history of Acts. But this view presupposes that Paul’s first Roman imprisonment was also his last.