Translation commentary on Philippians 1:10

Paul now goes on to define the purpose of his prayer in verse 9. The same Greek expression translated to choose what is best appears also in Rom 2.18, where Good News Translation renders it as “to choose what is right.” The Greek term here translated to choose is sometimes used in the technical sense of testing coins to determine whether they are genuine. Thus the Good News Translation rendering carries the force of accepting or choosing what is proved to be right or best or essential in religion (Moffatt Goodspeed “to have a sense of what is vital”; New Engish Bible footnote “may teach you by experience what things are most worthwhile”). The phrase what is best means literally “things which differ” or “things that excel.” The latter meaning seems to suit the context better. It is a reference to the ability, not so much to distinguish right from wrong or good from bad, but to determine what is best among all that is good.

What is best is a general qualification which it is not always possible to employ. Certainly it is not a reference to particular things or objects, but rather to behavior and experience. It may be necessary to render the first part of verse 10 as “so that you will be able to choose what is best to do,” or “… how you should best behave.”

Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ (literally, “so that you may be pure and blameless with a view to the Day of Christ”) is taken as the result of having the ability to discriminate what is best. The adjective rendered free from all impurity occurs elsewhere in the New Testament only in 2 Peter 3.1. It means “unmixed,” “genuine,” or “unadulterated.” It may be rendered in some languages as “not having anything bad about you,” or “without any wrong.” The adjective translated free from … blame can mean either “not causing others to stumble” or “not stumbling.” Paul seems to have in mind the fitness of the Philippians to stand before Christ on the Day of judgment. In this context it is better to adopt the meaning of “blameless.” This concept may be expressed in some languages as “without having done anything for which you could be blamed,” or “without having done what was wrong.”

On the Day of Christ, as in Pp. 1.6, refers to the Parousia, so it is possible to render it more explicitly as “on the Day when Christ comes back.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Philippians 2:12

Verses 12 and 13 represent a long sentence in Greek. For the sake of clarity it is best broken into several shorter sentences.

With the connective so then Paul established the link between the Christological hymn and the practical exhortation. The Philippian Christians must have the attitude that Christ had (v. 5); thus, as Christ obeyed, so should they. The readers are addressed as dear friends (literally, “my beloved,” “my dear friends,” Goodspeed Jerusalem Bible). This expression, which appears again twice in 4.1, shows the warmth of the apostle’s affection toward his converts. It is a favorite expression, often used by Paul to introduce earnest appeals to his readers (1 Cor 10.14; 15.58; 2 Cor 7.1; 12.19, etc.).

In many languages the expression of direct address would come naturally at the beginning of the section. Therefore one may need to shift the order of so then, dear friends, employing such an expression as “dear friends, therefore, as you always obeyed me….”

In some languages, however, dear friends may seem out of place since the term friends itself would include a component of endearment, and the addition of an adjective such as dear would imply that there were other friends who were not dear. An equivalent expression of dear friends may in some languages be “you who are so friendly to me,” or “you who are so loved by me.”

The references to Paul’s presence and absence (literally, “not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence” King James Version) can be taken several ways. (1) A number of translations connect them with “work out your own salvation” (Goodspeed New American Bible Barclay Segond [Segond]). (2) Another possibility, though less likely, is seen in the Phillips rendering: “as you have always obeyed me—and that not only when I was with you—now, even more in my absence, complete the salvation….” Here he appears to connect presence with “obeyed” and absence with “work out salvation.” (3) A third possibility is to connect them both with “you have always obeyed” (Barclay Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch New International Version). The Greek word order indicates that this is preferable to (1). However, there is a difficulty in connecting the sense of “but now” with “obeyed.” (4) To avoid this difficulty New English Bible offers a variation of (3) by making the sentence into an imperative rather than a statement, thus “… must be obedient, as always; even more, now that I am away, than when I was with you.” (5) Still another variation is suggested by Good News Translation (so also Biblia Dios Habla Hoy Bible en français courant Translator’s New Testament). It supplies a command, you obey me, to the reference to Paul’s absence, thus: it is even more important that you obey me now while I am away from you.

The aorist verb obeyed is used without an object in Greek. A number of translations accordingly render the verse without supplying an object (including Goodspeed Moffatt Revised Standard Version New English Bible Barclay). Some commentators suggest “God” to be the object, but the sense is probably that of obedience to Paul as God’s messenger and to his instructions and guidance (cf. 2 Cor 7.15; 10.6; Philemon 21), and Good News Translation makes that explicit: as you always obeyed me (so also Bruce Phillips Translator’s New Testament; cf. New American Bible “obedient as always to my urging”; Jerusalem Bible “continue to do as I tell you”).

In some languages a literal rendering of as you always obeyed me when I was with you might suggest that when Paul was with the Philippian believers he was constantly commanding them to do certain things. It may be better, therefore, to render this clause as “in the same way as you always took my advice when I was with you.”

There may be some complications in the introductory part of this verse because of the three different connectives before the principal clause, namely, so then, as, and when. In many languages, this cluster of connectives would be too heavy a “preposed” set of structures. However, one can make certain modifications, for example, “Dear friends, when I was with you, you always took my advice. Therefore, it is even more important for you to obey me now, while I am away from you,” or “… take my advice now, while I am not with you any longer.”

To bring out properly the emphasis in the Greek text, Good News Translation restructures the following phrase (literally, “but now much more in my absence”) into it is even more important that you obey me now while I am away from you. This rendering makes it clear that the contrast of presence and absence is not to be taken in the sense of “during my life” and “after my death,” as is, in fact, advocated by some commentators.

The compound Greek present imperative, rendered “work out” by most translators, has the sense of continuing a work to its conclusion, thus keep on working … to complete (Barclay “keep on toiling”; cf. Eph 6.13). Keep on working should not be rendered in such a way as to refer merely to physical toil. A more satisfactory equivalent may be “keep on striving,” “give all your strength to,” of “endeavor very much to.”

Your salvation can hardly be taken in a personal sense. In Greek both the verb “work out” and the reflexive pronoun “yourselves” are plural. It is not an exhortation to the Philippian Christians to accomplish the personal salvation of the individual members. Paul is rather concerned about the well-being of their common life together as a community (cf. 1.28; 2.4). Paul often uses salvation to refer to the ultimate saving act of God which will reach its completion at the end of the world. For him it is primarily a future reality, an attainment of final blessedness (cf. 1 Cor 5.5), and a deliverance from approaching wrath (Rom 5.9; 1 Cor 3.15; 1 Thes 5.10). In the present context, however, the word can be taken in the broader sense of the restoration of the health and the spiritual well-being of the community (Mark 3.4; Acts 4.9; 14.9; 27.34).

A literal rendering of to complete your salvation could be understood to mean that individuals had complete responsibility for their personal salvation, but Paul always speaks of personal salvation as the act of God. This expression is better interpreted in the present context as “cause your well-being to be complete,” “cause nothing to be lacking in your well-being,” or “… in your state of well-being.”

The Philippian readers are encouraged to attain this goal with fear and trembling. This is a stereotyped Old Testament expression (see Psa 2.11; Isa 19.16) denoting humble reverence, dependence, and devotion to God. It does not appear in the New Testament apart from the Pauline writings. In every instance (here and in 1 Cor 2.3; Eph 6.5) it is used to describe the spirit of reverence and humility which should characterize mutual relationships within the Christian community. It is precisely with this spirit that Paul is urging the Philippians Christians to keep on working toward the restoration of the spiritual welfare of the community (see 2.2-4, 14; 4.2). A literal rendering of with fear and trembling might suggest that the Philippian Christians should be fearful of their enemies and tremble because of them. It may even be misleading to speak of “with fear and trembling before God,” or “while you are fearing God and trembling before him.” A more appropriate equivalent in a number of languages is “with complete devotion to God,” or “with complete reverence for God.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Philippians 3:14

The verb rendered I run straight is the same verb translated I keep striving in verse 12. The word translated goal, found only here in the New Testament, is basically the mark on which one fixes his attention. In shooting, this is the target; in racing, it is the goal. If one finds if difficult to introduce the metaphor of “running straight toward the goal,” one may change this into a simile, for example, “So, as it were, I run straight toward the place where the race ends.”

The prepositional phrase “unto the prize” (American Standard Version) is best taken in the sense of “so that I may win the prize” (Bruce) or in order to win the prize. The prize in classical Greek refers to an award in games or contests. In the New Testament the word occurs only here and in 1 Cor 9.24; it is used to denote the reward for an achievement.

What Paul proceeds to say is literally “of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus.” This “upward calling of God” is to be understood as “God doing the calling.” The sense of the other genitive construction, “the prize of the upward calling,” is conditioned by the meaning of “the upward calling.” Some translations (including King James Version American Standard Version Moffatt La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée) take the adverb “upward” to mean “high” or “heavenly,” describing the quality of the calling (Heb 3.1). It is also possible that the reference is to God’s call to faith as a summons “upwards.” It appears, therefore, that the renderings of New English Bible and Good News Translation make better sense, that is, God’s call … to the life above (cf. 1 Thes 2.12). The phrase “the prize of the upward calling” is best taken as a genitive of apposition, meaning “the prize consists of” or the prize, which is…. One can be more explicit about the content of the prize by rendering “which is the life above to which God calls me…” (cf. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “This prize is new life, to which God has called me through Christ Jesus”). Life above is equivalent to “eternal life.” Through Christ Jesus makes it clear that “in Christ Jesus” is to be understood in an instrumental sense. God is the caller, and Christ is his agent.

In order to indicate clearly the nature of “the prize,” it may be necessary to make the final relative clause in this verse into a completely new sentence, for example, “The prize is God calling me through Christ Jesus.”

A literal translation of the life above might suggest merely “life in heaven.” But since it is more likely that a quality of life is intended, it may be better to use such a phrase as “eternal life,” “new life,” or “real life.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Philippians 1:21

The mention of life and death in the preceding verse leads the apostle to state what these things mean to him. Good News Translation restructures the whole verse, making the apostle pose a rhetorical question and then answer it. Life translates a Greek verb meaning “to live.” The verb is in the present tense, denoting the process of continuous living, not the principle of life (cf. Rom. 8.12; 2 Cor 1.8)

To me is emphatic in the Greek text. It has the force of “according to my own experience” (Goodspeed “as I see it”). The rhetorical question what is life? may be rendered more explicitly “what does it mean to live?” The question is answered by it is Christ. This phrase is translated by some as “life means Christ” (Knox, Bruce) and by others as “Christ is my life” (Luther, Tyndale). Life to Paul has no meaning apart from Christ. His life is not his own; it is totally devoted to Christ (Gal 2.20). In some languages a literal rendering of this important saying may be wrongly understood as equating me with Christ. To avoid this misconception one may have to render the last clause “it is for Christ,” even at the expense of losing some of the impact found in the original Greek.

For what is life? is obviously a rhetorical question. Paul is not asking for information; he is only highlighting the purpose of his own life. This question must be semantically amplified in some languages, for example, “what is the purpose of living?” or “what is to be gained in continuing to live?” It may even be useful to render this question as “what do people live for?” Paul indicates clearly that for him it is Christ. For languages which do not employ rhetorical questions, it may be necessary to recast the question and its answer to read “for the very purpose of my life is Christ.” In some languages, however, it would be utterly meaningless to say that “life is Christ,” but it is usually possible to say “the purpose of my living is to serve Christ.”

Death translates a Greek aorist infinitive which denotes the event of dying, not the process. Will bring more translates a single word in Greek, literally “gain.” “Death is gain” in two respects. First, it is the gateway to the immediate presence of Christ (v. 23). This would mean gain for the apostle personally (Jerusalem Bible “death would bring me something more.”) Second and more important, his death by martyrdom would produce the promotion and progress of the gospel. Hence, death would be gain for the proclamation of the gospel; this seems to be what the phrase will bring more is intended to communicate.

In a number of languages one cannot speak of “death bringing something.” Since in this context death refers specifically to the possibility of Paul’s own death, it may be necessary to render the second part of this verse as “if I die, then, it will be an advantage to me.” “… I will profit from that,” or “… it will help me spread the good news.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Philippians 2:23

The pronoun him is emphatic in Greek (literally, “this one, then, I hope to send”).

I know is rendered “I see” in some translations. It means literally “to look away,” that is, to exclude everything else and to concentrate on one thing. It can also be used in the sense of seeing the issue of events, or of knowing the outcome of a situation. The last sense appears to be the one most suitable in the present context. In this type of context I know may be best rendered in some languages as “I learn,” “I found out about,” or “the news has come to me.”

How things are going to turn out for me refers apparently to the verdict of the trial, which Paul expected would shortly be handed down. This clause may be rendered as “what will happen to me,” “whether I will be convicted or not,” or “whether or not I will be released.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Philippians 4:4

With this verse Paul returns to his favorite theme in this letter. The exhortation in 3.1 is repeated (see the discussion there), but now the adverb always is added. The addition of this adverb and the repetition of the injunction makes it almost impossible to render the verb as “farewell.” It is not likely that the apostle would say “farewell always in the Lord. I say it again: farewell.”

In this context, as in many other contexts in this letter, to be joyful is essentially to “be completely happy.”

The phrase in your union with the Lord (literally, “in the Lord”) is the governing factor in the exhortation. The Lord is the inexhaustible source of joy, and it is only by maintaining the closest possible union with him that the Christians will be able to experience uninterrupted joy. In your union with the Lord should not be interpreted as the cause of joy but the circumstance in which one is completely happy. One may, therefore, render in your union with the Lord as “as you live joined with the Lord.”

The force of this verse can be brought out in several ways, depending on how one interprets the two imperative verbs meaning “rejoice.” Both can be taken as having an optative force, thus, “may you always be joyful in the Lord. I say it again: may you be joyful” (cf. Knox “Joy to you in the Lord at all times; once again I wish you joy”). A second possibility is to take the first verb with an imperative force, and the second with an optative, with the resultant rendering, “Rejoice always in the Lord. I say it again: may you be joyful.” A third possibility is to understand the first with an optative force and the second with an imperative, resulting in the Good News Translation rendering, May you always be joyful in your union with the Lord. I say it again: rejoice! A final possibility is to take both verbs in the normal imperative sense: “Rejoice always in the Lord. I say it again: rejoice.” This last possibility appears to be favored by most translators. One can also render this last possibility as a negative command: “Never lose your joy in the Lord. I say it again: never lose your joy” (cf. Barclay).

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 .

Translation commentary on Philippians 2:2

Good News Translation supplies I urge you, the sense implied in the imperative “complete” (Revised Standard Version). Moffatt and New American Bible try to bring out the sense of appeal by adding “I pray you” and “I beg you” respectively. Then (cf. Jerusalem Bible Bruce) is supplied to make clear that Paul is here basing his urgent appeal on the four statements made in the previous verse. He has no doubt whatever that the things on which he bases his appeal are definite realities in the experience of the Philippian Christians.

To make me completely happy (so also Jerusalem Bible) represents a restructuring of the more literal “complete my joy” (Revised Standard Version). The verb in its original sense means “to make full.” This verbal phrase is rendered “Give me the utter joy” by Moffatt and appears in Goodspeed Knox New English Bible as “fill up my cup of happiness.” Paul’s choice of this particular verb indicates that the Philippians are already a source of joy to him (1.4-5; cf. 4.1). Still his joy is incomplete because of disputes among the members of the church. It may not be possible in some languages to speak of being completely happy. One may, however, indicate an extreme degree of happiness by saying “cause me to be very, very happy,” or, somewhat idiomatically, “cause my heart truly to sing.”

By having the same thoughts is literally “that you think the same thing.” “That” here has the force of “so as to,” not the usual sense of “in order that.” Most translators render this term as by, emphasizing the means of achieving happiness. The verb translated “think” (which also occurs in 1.7; 2.5; twice in 3.15) should not be taken primarily in an intellectual sense; it denotes rather an “inward disposition” or “state of mind” (Jerusalem Bible “be united in your convictions”; Barclay “by being in perfect harmony of mind”).

The expression of means indicated by the preposition by followed by the participial constructions having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind must be expressed in many languages as cause, literally, “because you think the same way….” In some languages having the same thoughts is expressed as “thinking together,” “sharing one another’s thoughts,” or “having only one set of thoughts.”

Sharing the same love (literally, “having the same love” King James Version Revised Standard Version) means the mutual love among the Philippians (Jerusalem Bible “united in your love”; New English Bible “with the same love for one another”). This concept must be expressed in some languages as “loving in the same way,” but since in many languages it is essential to indicate the goal of an emotion such as love, it may be necessary to translate “having the same kind of love for one another,” or “loving one another in the same way.”

And being one in soul and mind literally means “(being) one-souled, thinking the one thing.” It is best to take these two expressions (one adjective and one participial phrase) together as Good News Translation and various other translations do. The adjective rendered one in soul occurs here only in the New Testament, but a similar expression appears in 1.27 (rendered with … one desire by Good News Translation). Paul repeats a thought which appears earlier in the verse in a stronger form, “thinking the one thing.” Apparently the apostle is concerned to produce among the Philippians a unity in purpose and sentiment (Jerusalem Bible “with a common purpose and a common mind”). In some languages the phrase can be rendered “being one in heart and will.”

Being one in mind must be radically restructured in certain instances, especially if soul and mind are better expressed as verbs rather than as nouns, for example, “desiring the same thing and thinking precisely the same thing,” or “being concerned for the same things and being agreed.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Philippians 3:4

Paul now takes great pains in giving a brief account of his past religious life. The purpose is to let his readers understand why he has warned them in such blunt terms, and to refute the claims of his opponents. For the purpose of argument he deliberately places himself in the position of an authentic Jew.

I is emphatic. The shift from “we” to “I” and the frequent use of “I” show what Paul has to say here is personal. The tone of the argument makes it clear that he does not rely on outward privileges and ceremonies, thus I could, of course…. The phrase put my trust in such things is literally “having confidence even in the flesh,” and “in the flesh” is used three times in succession. To avoid redundancy, Good News Translation renders the second occurrence in such things, the context making it perfectly clear what is referred to (New English Bible “that kind”). The third occurrence is again rendered as in external ceremonies. For the meaning of trust, see 2.24.

The phrase of course may be rendered in some languages as “there is every reason for me to…,” or “I would be fully justified in….”

Put my trust in such things may be expressed as “put my confidence in such ceremonies,” or “believe that such things as would happen to my body would be valuable.” The reference here is not merely to circumcision as an outward ceremony; it involves much more, a matter of total ritual observance. One may even say “put my trust in being the kind of person I am.”

I have even more reason to feel that way adequately brings out the sense and force of a terse expression in Greek which means literally “I more” (cf. Barclay “I have an even stronger claim”).

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 .