For you have been given the privilege of serving Christ (literally, “because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ” American Standard Version), can be made into an active statement, as in Jerusalem Bible “that he (God) has given you the privilege….” However, since you is in an emphatic position corresponding to the “you” in verse 28, it is better to keep the original passive structure in the receptor language if it is possible to do so.
The final clause of verse 28 introduces an immediate cause, expressed characteristically in English by the conjunction because. A more remote type of cause is expressed in English by the conjunction for. The clause introduced by because gives a specific reason for the immediately preceding expression you will win. The cause introduced in verse 29 is related to the entire content of verse 28. One might argue that the content of verse 29 is simply the cause of God’s giving the believers the victory, but it seems more satisfactory to understand verse 29 as relating to all that has preceded. The relation, however, is of a more general nature. To represent these two levels of causal relations, it is useful to find two different conjunctions in a receptor language which can specify the different degrees of cause and effect relations, just as “because” and “for” do in English. If, however, the receptor language has only one such expression, one can say at the beginning of verse 29: “All this will happen because you have been given the privilege….”
The verb rendered you have been given (literally, “it has been granted [to you]”) is formed on the stem of the noun meaning “grace.” It denotes a free, unmerited favor or kindness from God (Eph 4.32; Rom 8.32); therefore it is a privilege. Most recent translations try to make this meaning explicit, for example, “for you have been granted the privilege” (Goodspeed, New English Bible); “for it is your special privilege…” (New American Bible); and “for you have received the privilege of serving Christ” (Barclay). “In behalf of Christ” is to be taken in the sense of serving Christ (so also Barclay).
In some languages one may wish to change the passive clause you have been given the privilege into an active one, for example, “God has given you the privilege,” “God has made it possible for you,” “God has been good to you in causing you to,” or “… giving you the task of.”
Serving Christ may be rendered as “working for Christ” or “helping Christ.” This type of expression occurs frequently in the New Testament.
Both believing and suffering are present infinitives in Greek, thus indicating that the privilege of believing Christ and suffering for him is not a once for all action but is continuous.
In rendering not only … but also, it is important to avoid expressions which would imply direct negation. The relation is strictly additive, rather that what may be called adversative. Accordingly, in many languages one will need to translate “you may serve Christ by believing in him, and you may also serve him by suffering on his behalf.” In rendering suffering for him, it is important to avoid the implication of “suffering because of him,” that is, because of what Christ has done. The suffering in this context is suffering for the advancement of the cause of Christ.
Quoted with permission from Luo, I-Jin. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .