The Greek has the word “this” before the content of Paul’s prayer (“I pray this: that…”), but normally this addition would be superfluous in translation.

Your love should not be restricted to the Philippians’ love for God, for Paul, or even to their love for one another. It is much more likely that Paul has in mind the most comprehensive Christian love. In some languages your love may seem to abstract, and this expression may be better rendered as “your loving heart.”

Furthermore, in some languages it is not possible to speak of “love growing more and more,” although one may say “I pray that you will keep on loving more and more.” Again, it may be necessary to indicate in some languages who is loved, and therefore one may need to translate “that you will love one another more and more.”

True knowledge and perfect judgment are essential elements of love. “Love” should keep on growing (present tense), that is, it should develop into and be accompanied by spiritual and moral insights. The word translated true knowledge is frequently used by Paul to convey the idea of a mental grasp of spiritual truth and especially that practical and experiential knowledge of God which is available to those who have become Christians. Perfect judgment (literally “all insight” or “all perception”) appears only here in the New Testament. It refers to a person’s ability to make moral decisions. The adjective “all” is not intensive, but extensive; that is, it signifies “every form of” perfect judgment (New English Bible “insight of every kind”).

True knowledge and perfect judgment may be viewed as the result of increased love, and so they may be indicated in some languages as result, and in other languages as purpose. On the basis of this type of interpretation, one may translate “that you may love one another more and more, and as a result have true knowledge and perfect judgment.” On the other hand, one may understand true knowledge and perfect judgment as an accompanying feature of love and accordingly translate “that you may love one another more and more, and at the same time have true knowledge and perfect judgment.”

In a number of languages it is necessary to translate knowledge and judgment as verbs, and this requires syntactic restructuring, with resulting expressions such as “that you may know what is true and judge perfectly,” or “… judge in a completely right way.”

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 .

All is literally “every tongue.” This expression, like “every knee,” is a poetic way of saying “everyone” or “all.” The verb translated openly proclaim usually indicates an open profession of faith (cf. 1 Tim 3.16). It can also be rendered “confess” (Revised Standard Version New English Bible), “acclaim” (Jerusalem Bible), or “openly declare” (Barclay). Note that verses 10-11 express the purpose of the exaltation: “and so (so that) … will openly proclaim (future indicative).” In some languages openly proclaim is best expressed as “will say to everyone,” or “will say when everyone is listening.”

The content of the acclamation is Jesus Christ is Lord. Here we have one of the earliest Christological confessions of the church preserved in the New Testament (cf. Rom 10.9; 1 Cor 12.3). Lord is the most common title applied to Jesus by the early church. It is the word employed in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew “Yahweh.” It can be used in the general sense of “master” or “sir,” but when it is applied to Jesus, it has a unique Christological significance. When Jesus Christ is acclaimed as Lord, he is installed in the place which properly belongs to God alone. This means that Jesus Christ has sovereignty over the entire universe. Lord is emphatic by its position in the sentence. Since this is a creedal statement, the words may be placed within quotation marks (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch New English Bible Translator’s New Testament).

In many languages the equivalent of Lord must occur with a so-called possessive pronoun, since it is impossible to anyone to be merely Lord; he must be Lord of certain persons, that is, “the one who controls” or “the one who gives orders to” those persons. Therefore Lord must be rendered in many instances as “their Lord.”

The ultimate purpose in giving homage to Jesus Christ and in acclaiming him as Lord is to be to the glory of God the Father. This is equivalent to saying “so that all will praise God.” (For the fuller meaning of “glory,” see the discussion under 1.11.) With these words the hymn draws to an appropriate close. The authority of the Son is derived from the Father. Only God the Father has the ultimate sovereignty (1 Cor 15.28; Rev 3.21; John 13.31; 17.1).

In order to show quite clearly how to the glory of God the Father relates to what has immediately preceded, it may be necessary to make the connection more specific, for example, “in saying this about Jesus, they will be showing honor to God the Father.” In some languages the equivalent of glory in this type of context is simply “to show honor to” or “praise to.” In certain languages, however, it is possible to use idiomatic equivalents, for example, “to lift up the name of,” or “to show how magnificent God is.”

As in the case of Lord, it may also be necessary in some languages to indicate the relation of Father to those who claim him as Father. That is, a term such as “Father” is obligatorily possessed. In this context it may be necessary to say “God their Father,” or, perhaps in a more general sense, “God our Father.”

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 .

In this verse Paul repeats and expands what he has said in the preceding verse. He says literally “Brothers, I do not count myself to have grasped.” “I myself” is emphatic in Greek, with the force of “I on my part” or, as Good News Translation renders it, of course … I really. The phrase of course may be rendered in some instances as “you may be sure,” while my brothers, or “my fellow believers,” must in some languages be placed at the beginning of the verse

The verb rendered think often occurs in a commercial context, meaning essentially “to calculate.” It is a favorite Pauline term and is often used in the sense of carefully weighing the point under consideration; thus it can mean “reckon” (New English Bible) or “consider” (Revised Standard Version Phillips). The compound verb discussed under verse 12, where it is used twice, is here used for the third time. The perfect infinitive form, which appears here without an object, is translated as I have already won it. The object it, supplied translationally, obviously refers to the prize (Bible en français courant “have won the prize”).

Paul proceeds with an elliptical but forceful statement, literally “but one thing.” Several attempts have been made to bring out the exact force of this expression. Some supply the idea of thinking (Moffatt “my one thought is”); others of speaking (New English Bible “all I can say is this”; cf. Jerusalem Bible). However, the context seems to indicate that one thing refers to what follows, which is a matter of doing. Accordingly, the force and sense of this expression is perhaps best rendered as “but one thing I do” (American Standard Version), or, more forcefully, the one thing I do, however (Good News Translation).

Paul uses the pictorial images of a race to describe the single-mindedness of his purpose. Is to forget what is behind me is in Greek a present participial phrase. The present participle signifies that his forgetting is a continuous action: “keep forgetting.” What is behind me could be a reference to his life in Judaism, but more probably it includes his achievements as a Christian. The runner has lost when he turns back to see what is behind him. To translate to forget what is behind me in a strictly literal fashion is to risk the introduction of a wrong connotation, since this might imply that Paul wished to forget even the mistakes he had made. In this context it may be preferable to translate to forget as “to pay no attention to” or “to refuse to be concerned about.” In reality Paul was not trying to forget; he simply refused to be concerned about what was behind him.

Do my best to reach what is ahead translates another participial phrase, literally “stretching forward to the things that are before.” The participle is a double prepositional compound which pictures the runner with his eyes fixed on the goal, his hand stretching out to it, and his body bent toward it. It is a graphic description of the runner’s intense desire and utmost effort to reach the goal (Barclay “to strain every nerve to reach”). It may be difficult to speak of what is ahead without being more specific, for example, “the goal which is ahead,” or “the end of the race which is ahead.” Thus the figurative expression of running introduced in verse 14 is anticipated. It is also possible to use a more general expression, for example, “to accomplish what I must do in the future.”

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 .

Not only does Timothy have Paul’s fullest confidence; he also has proved his worth to the Philippians. This verbal phrase is the translation of a Greek noun meaning literally “proof.” It is related to the verb used in 1.10, where Good News Bible renders “to choose.” It is used of gold or silver which has been tested and found genuine. Paul is not just saying that “Timothy’s record is known to you” (New English Bible), but that “you know how he has stood the test” (Moffatt). The Philippians know that Timothy is not a mediocre substitute, for he cooperated with Paul when the apostle first brought the gospel to their city (Acts 16). The verb “you know” should not be taken as an imperative but as an indicative; Timothy’s worth was something the Philippians already knew.

You yourselves know may be expressed in some languages as “you yourselves already know,” or “you yourselves surely know.”

It may be difficult to speak of Paul’s estimation of Timothy by using literally a term such as worth, for this might suggest in some languages a kind of commercial value rather than Timothy’s inherent qualities. How he has proved his worth may be rendered, therefore, as “how good he has proved to be,” or “how valuable he has been.”

What Paul goes on to say is somewhat cryptic; it is literally “how, as a child a father, he served with me….” The focus is not on the manner in which Timothy served Paul (like a son to his father), but on the very intimate relationship in which the two worked together for the advancement of the gospel. Accordingly, Good News Translation renders explicitly how he and I, like a son and his father, have worked together. The original meaning of the verb rendered worked is “to serve, or work, as a slave” (Goodspeed “he worked like a slave with me.” See also the discussion under 1.1).

How he and I, like a son and his father, have worked together for the sake of the gospel is an amplification of the first part of the verse, and it may be understood as an explanation of how Timothy proved his worth. However, in a number of languages it may be necessary to repeat here the verb “know,” for example, “You yourselves know how valuable he has proved to be, and how Timothy and I, like a son and his father, have worked….” In some languages it may even be necessary to show clearly that like a son and his father is to be understood in a figurative sense, for example, “he has worked with me just like a son would work with his own father,” or “… just like a man’s son would help his father.”

The phrase for the sake of the gospel can also be taken as meaning “for the advancement of the gospel” (Barclay). In several languages the most effective way of speaking about “the advancement of the gospel” would be to say “in order that more and more people would hear the good news,” or “… believe 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 .

In addition to the direct appeal to these two women, a third person is requested to help them work out a reconciliation. Paul addresses this person as my faithful partner, literally “true yokefellow” (Revised Standard Version). A number of commentators suggest that is possible to take the word partner as a proper name, Syzygos, and the accompanying adjective to mean “true to his name” or “rightly so called.” On the basis of this interpretation Paul would be playing on the meaning of the name. In effect he would be saying: “I ask you, Syzygos, as your name suggests, a faithful partner, …” (Jerusalem Bible “I ask you, Syzygos, to be truly a ‘companion’ ”). It is better, however, to follow the majority of modern translations, including Good News Translation, and to take this expression as a description of an unidentified Christian colleague of Paul (New English Bible “loyal comrade,” Goodspeed “true comrade,” New American Bible “dependable fellow worker”). My faithful partner may be rendered as “you who have joined with me so constantly in the work,” “you have worked with me so well,” or “you on whom I depend so much to help me.”

To help these women (literally, “to help them”) obviously means to assist Euodia and Syntyche to reconcile their differences, and it may be useful (perhaps even necessary) to indicate clearly the expected result of what this faithful partner would do to help these women, for example, “to help these women to agree,” “… to throw away their contrary words,” or “… to forget their arguments.”

For they have worked hard with me to spread the gospel translates a Greek relative clause, literally “inasmuch as they labored with me in the gospel,” giving the reason why they deserve help. The compound word rendered have worked hard appears elsewhere in the New Testament only in 1.27, where it is translated fighting together. It is a word normally used of fighting in war or of a contest in an athletic arena. This metaphorical sense is reflected in several translations, for example, “was fighting to defend” (Jerusalem Bible), “shared my contests” (Bruce). In any case, the basic connotation is hard and strenuous work. The phrase “in the gospel” should be taken in the sense of “for the gospel” (Phillips), “in the cause of the Gospel” (New English Bible), “in promoting the gospel” (New American Bible), or, more explicitly, to spread the gospel (Good News Translation Goodspeed Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). It may be impossible in some languages to speak of “spreading the gospel.” It is, however, almost always possible to say “telling more and more people about the good news.”

Clement, otherwise unknown in the New Testament, is evidently another of Paul’s fellow workers at Philippi (as also Epaphroditus; see 2.25). Together with Clement and all my other fellow workers must be expressed in some languages as a complete sentence, to show clearly that Clement and the other fellow workers were also engaged in spreading the gospel. This sentence may take the form of “Clement and all the other persons who worked with me also told many people about the good news.”

The relative pronoun whose should refer to all those who have been mentioned in verse 3, including the two women (Euodia and Syntyche), Clement, and the other fellow workers. To make this quite clear it may be useful to render this final relative clause as a separate sentence, for example, “The names of all these persons who helped me are in God’s book of the living.” If one does not add the phrase, “those who helped me,” a reader might assume that the reference is to those who heard the good news rather than to those who were so faithful in telling others about the good news.

God’s book of the living is literally “book of life.” The figure may be taken from the ancient practice by which cities kept an official register in which names of its citizens were recorded. It is a common Old Testament symbol for God’s record of the covenant people (cf. Exo 32.22; Psa 69.28; Isa 4.3; Ezek 13.9; Dan 12.1), and so Good News Translation renders explicitly that it is God’s book. In later Judaism and in the New Testament, the expression is used predominantly of the book of the life to come, that is, eternal life, as can be seen in Aramaic phrases of the Hebrew Bible on Isa 4.3 and Ezek 13.9 (see also Rev 3.5; 13.8; 17.8; 20.12, 15; etc.). The same idea is expressed in Luke 10.20 in different words. The word “life” here is not a reference to the abstract principle of life but to the living. The reference may or may not imply that Clement and other fellow workers of Paul are already dead. In either case, the translation is not affected.

A literal rendering of whose names are in God’s book of the living might suggest that this is merely a book of those Christians who were alive at the time since book of the living would be literally translated in many languages as “book concerning those who are alive,” or “book in which the names of those who are living are written down.” In some languages a more satisfactory wording would be “book of those who possess real life,” “book with the names of those who really have life” or “… have true life.” The use of a phrase such as “to have true life” would help to suggest the quality of life which is characteristic of those having so-called “eternal life.” This particular quality of life is expressed in some languages as “have life from God,” “who have been made alive by God,” or “who have come to have a new life through 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 .

Paul begins the chapter with a series of four conditional clauses which are true to fact. That is, while it is true that in Greek each clause begins with a term corresponding to “if” in English, these “if” clauses are equivalent in force with an affirmative statement. By rendering these clauses literally with “if,” one might get the impression that Paul makes this fourfold appeal with an element of doubt; that is contrary to what he means to say. A number of translations attempt to bring out the intended emphasis in the Greek clause structure. Thus Moffatt begins these clauses with “by all … by every”; Goodspeed “by whatever”; New American Bible “in the sense of.” Good News Translation renders these clauses by a series of positive statements, and these are then taken as the sure basis of his appeal in the following verses (cf. Rom. 2.17 ff.).

A literal translation of these conditional sentences almost inevitably destroys the personal character which is so much a feature of this letter. It may also make the meaning of the verse extremely obscure. It is therefore desirable to identify all the participants and specify their relationships. A comparison of various translations shows that this task is by no means easy. New English Bible and Jerusalem Bible identify “we” (Paul and his readers) as the principal participants (New English Bible “if then our common life in Christ…”; Jerusalem Bible “if our life in Christ…”; cf. Goodspeed “in our relation to Christ”). Phillips makes “you” (the Philippians) the principle participants and clearly identifies “Christ” as the source of “encouragement and love” (“now if you have known anything of Christ’s encouragement and of his reassuring love…”). Biblia Dios Habla Hoy goes a step further in consistently making “Christ” the primary agent and participant and “you” (the Philippians) the secondary participants (“if Christ … if his love … if his Spirit…”). The pattern in Good News Translation, in the order of primary and secondary participants, is: you-Christ, Christ-you, you-Spirit, and you-you (one another).

The first clause is literally “if there be therefore any encouragement in Christ” (cf. King James Version). The formula “in Christ” is rendered in various ways such as “our life in Christ” (Jerusalem Bible), “our common life in Christ” (New English Bible), “your faith in Christ” (Bible en français courant), and your life in Christ. The noun rendered “encouragement” by most translators can also mean “consolation” (King James Version), “comfort” (American Standard Version), or “exhortation” (the sense suggested by many commentators). But the context seems to favor the meaning of “helping,” “encouraging,” or “strengthening.” Good News Translation changes this noun into a verb, makes you strong (cf. New English Bible “stir the heart”).

In many languages it is difficult to translate literally your life in Christ. In the first place, a noun such as life must often be rendered as a verb meaning “to live.” But it may make no sense to speak of “living in Christ.” The concept of a supernatural being living within a human being (for example, “Christ living in us”) is not too difficult to understand, since this can be done by means of Christ’s Spirit; but for a person to “live in Christ” may seem utterly meaningless. The closest equivalent in some languages is “your living completely on behalf of Christ,” or “your living completely controlled by Christ.” It may be equally difficult to relate “your life in Christ” to the concept of “making you strong.” In some languages the closest equivalent may be “the fact that Christ commands all that you do in your living makes you strong,” “… causes you to be strong,” or “your living in such a way as to be controlled completely by Christ causes you to be strong.” One must avoid, however, a term such as “strong” which applies only to physical strength. In this type of context, one would wish to use such an expression as “causes you to be courageous,” or “causes you to stand firm.”

His love comforts you translates the second “if” clause in Greek, which means literally “if any comfort of love” (King James Version). It is not likely that “love” here refers to the apostle’s love for his friends at Philippi as has sometimes been suggested; rather it is Christ’s love. The work meaning “comfort” occurs only here in the New Testament. It can also mean “persuasion” (Jerusalem Bible), “consolation” (American Standard Version), and “incentive” (Revised Standard Version).

His love comforts you poses problems of translation in some receptor languages because “love” in them may occur only as a verb; therefore his love must be translated as “the fact that he loves you.” Sometimes one can say “the fact that Christ loves you comforts you.” In other languages one may use a passive expression, for example, “you are comforted because Christ loves you.” In some languages comforts is expressed negatively as “takes away your anxieties,” or “causes you not to worry any longer.”

Fellowship with the Spirit is literally “if any fellowship of the Spirit” (King James Version). Since the Spirit is without the article in Greek, it is sometimes taken to mean the spiritual gift of love, joy, peace, etc. (New American Bible “fellowship in spirit”; Bruce “spiritual fellowship”). But most modern translators and commentators take it to be a reference to the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Cor 13.13). The genitive construction “fellowship of the Spirit” should not be interpreted in the subjective sense of “fellowship made possible by the Spirit” (cf. Barclay), but in the objective sense of “participation in the Spirit” (Moffatt Revised Standard Version) or fellowship with the Spirit. Both Phillips and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy render specifically “his Spirit,” meaning Christ’s Spirit (cf. Rom 8.9b).

In some instances one may translate you have fellowship with the Spirit as “you share with Christ’s Spirit,” or “you have something in common with Christ’s Spirit.” In certain languages fellowship is expressed quite idiomatically, for example, “you and Christ’s Spirit talk together,” “you and Christ’s Spirit go hand in hand,” or “there is a oneness between you and Christ’s Spirit.”

The meaning of the last “if” clause in Greek is obscure (literally, “if any bowels and mercies” King James Version). The noun rendered “bowels” occurs also in 1.8, where it is translated heart by Good News Translation. It is regarded collectively as the seat of deep feelings, affections, and passions, and is translated “affection” (Goodspeed Revised Standard Version New English Bible), “tenderness” (Jerusalem Bible), “compassion” (New American Bible), “kindness” (Phillips). Good News Translation renders it in a verbal form, have kindness.

The noun rendered “mercies” in King James Version signifies the outward expression of deep feelings in compassionate yearnings and actions. It is usually rendered “sympathy” (Goodspeed Revised Standard Version Jerusalem Bible) or compassion (Good News Translation New English Bible). On the analogy of Col 3.12, where the two nouns appear together, it is sometimes suggested that they have to be taken together here, with the resultant meaning “affectionate sympathy” or “affectionate tenderness” (so Moffatt). Good News Translation makes clear that the feelings of kindness and compassion are for one another, that is, among the members of the Philippian church.

You have kindness … for one another is better expressed in some languages as “you are kind to one another,” or “you are good to one another.”

You have … compassion for one another may be expressed simply in some languages as “you feel for one another,” or “you share the same feeling with one another.” In some instances this expression of sympathy or compassion must be indicated more explicitly, for example, “you feel sorry for one another when anyone suffers.”

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 .

Paul now explains why the Judaizers have no right to claim the title of “the true circumcision.” The pronoun we is emphatic, stressing the contrast between the true Christians and the Judaizers. Good News Translation, accordingly, makes it explicit, it is we, not they (so also Bible en français courant). In this contest we must be inclusive in those languages which make a distinction between inclusive and exclusive first person plural, for Paul includes, not only himself and Timothy, but also the believers in Philippi. The phrase not they should be understood as a reference to those who do evil things; it could be rendered as “not those other men,” or “not those other people.”

Who have received the true circumcision represents a restructuring of a single noun in Greek, meaning “the circumcision.” True is supplied to emphasize the contrast (Jerusalem Bible “the real people of the circumcision”; Barclay “it is we who are really circumcised”). The reference is obviously to the Church’s consciousness of being the new people of God. The true significance of circumcision does not lie in an outward mark on the body, but in the inward consecration of the heart (Rom 2.28-29).

The verb received, in the clause who have received the true circumcision, may be regarded as a kind of pseudopassive for the subject who (that is, we) are the ones who undergo the process of being circumcised. Therefore one may translate who have received the true circumcision as “who have been truly circumcised,” or “who have been circumcised in the way one really should be circumcised.”

The claim to the title of true circumcision is based on three reasons, which in the Greek text are given in three participial phrases. Good News Translation connects these explanations to the main clause with for.

First, we worship God by means of his Spirit. This is a difficult statement: and the several Greek textual variants are reflected in different translations. The earliest extant reading is “who worship in spirit,” without reference to God, but the omission of “God” is probably due to a scribal oversight. New English Bible understands this statement in the sense of “whose worship is spiritual.” Some translations (for example, Moffatt Revised Standard Version Bruce) support the reading “who worship God in spirit,” which makes “God” the object of worship. The translators who adopt either of the above readings understand Paul to mean that the worship of the true Christian is offered in the domain of the spirit, not in the realm of external ceremonies. While it is true that Paul is here emphasizing the “spiritual” aspect of circumcision, there is a serious problem in taking “spirit” as a reference to the human spirit. In the Greek New Testament the term “spirit” without a qualifier usually means the Holy Spirit, so it is more likely that “spirit” here is not the human spirit but the Holy Spirit. This interpretation is supported by the fact that “spirit” appears side by side with “God.” For this reason, a number of translations prefer a third reading which is supported by some important early manuscripts. It reads “who worship by the Spirit of God.” The Holy Spirit is the dynamic source of Christian life, and he alone can inspire us to worship God. In many languages it is obligatory to identify the object of worship; thus we can restructure this statement into we worship God by means of his Spirit (so also Goodspeed cf. Phillips Barclay). By means of his Spirit represents an instrumental dative, indicating that the worship is under the impulse and direction of the Holy Spirit.

The verb rendered worship originally meant “to serve for hire.” It is usually used of a service rendered willingly; thus it came to be used in the technical sense of religious service. In biblical Greek it always refers to service rendered either to God or to pagan deities. Whenever God is the object of service, the verb is usually rendered worship.

In many languages a term for worship develops from a more specific meaning such as “to pray to,” since prayer seems to be such an essential element of worship. An expression of means indicated by the phrase by means of his Spirit is rendered in some languages as “by the help of his Spirit,” “with his Spirit helping us,” or even “his Spirit helps us to do this.”

The second reason given in support of the claim that Christians are “the true circumcision” is that we rejoice in our life in union with Christ Jesus, literally, “boasting in Christ Jesus.” The verb in this clause, “boast,” is one of Paul’s favorite words, used some thirty-five times in his letters. It is sometimes used in the sense of proud self-confidence (Rom 2.23; 1 Cor 4.7; Gal 6.13) and sometimes of humble submission to God’s grace shown in the death of Jesus and in what he has done (Rom 5.2, 11; 1 Cor 1.31; Gal 6.14). The latter sense is used in this context, with the focus on the triumphant joy of the Christians. The clause may mean either that Christ Jesus is the object of the pride (New English Bible Barclay), or that our life in union with Christ Jesus is the source of our joy (Good News Translation).

In order to indicate clearly that to rejoice in our life in union with Christ Jesus is also a reason for knowing that the believers had received the true circumcision, it may be important to repeat a conjunction indicating cause, for example, “and it is also because we rejoice in our life in union with Christ Jesus.”

Rejoice in our life in union with Christ Jesus may be expressed by saying, “are very happy because of our life which is in union with Christ Jesus,” since the goal of rejoicing is also the cause for rejoicing. In those languages in which a noun such as life must be expressed as a verb, one may say “we are happy because we live in union with Christ Jesus,” “… live joined to Christ Jesus,” or “… live as though we are one with Christ Jesus.”

The third reason that Christians are “the true circumcision” is that we do not put any trust in external ceremonies (literally, “having no confidence in the flesh”). This clause represents a rather negative restatement of the preceding clause. For this reason some translations link the two statements together, using, for example, “without” (Jerusalem Bible), “rather than” (New American Bible), “instead of” (Knox), etc. (cf. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “not … but…”). To indicate clearly that this is an added reason for knowing that Christian believers have received the true circumcision, one may say “and it is because we do not put any trust in ceremonies involving our bodies,” “… in religious ritual involving our bodies,” “… in what happens to our bodies,” or “… in what we do to our bodies.”

The word “flesh” can mean various things in biblical Greek, depending on the context. It can mean physical “flesh” (Luke 24.39), “race” (Rom 11.14), “human beings” (Acts 2.17), “human nature” (Rom 8.3), “human standard” (1 Cor 1.26), etc. In the present context, the rendering “anything external” (New English Bible) appears to be rather vague. What Paul means by the term is explained in the following verses, namely, the ceremonial observances of the Law, with circumcision as the most typical example. It is therefore best to render “flesh” more specifically as external ceremonies.

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 .