At this point Paul’s language becomes rather obscure. He seems to waver between alternatives, unable to reach a decision. The general idea, however, is clear enough. He is weighing the advantages of a continued life on earth against those to be gained by death.

In Greek the verse has three clauses, literally “but (a) if to live in the flesh, (b) this to me fruit of work, (c) and what I shall choose I do not know.” The extent of the “if” and “result” clauses is taken differently by various interpreters. Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version represent two major interpretations: Good News Translation takes (a) and (b) together as the “if” clause and (c) as the “result” (so also Jerusalem Bible New English Bible Bible en français courant Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), whereas Revised Standard Version has (a) as the “if” clause, (b) as the “result,” and (c) as a separate sentence (so also Barclay New International Version cf. New American Bible).

It is generally agreed among commentators that the “if” clause used here is not really conditional in meaning. Paul assumes that he will survive the ordeal of the trial. “To live” in Greek is a present infinitive, signifying a continuous process of living, as in the preceding verse. “In the flesh” is added to emphasize that natural or physical life is meant. The Good News Translation rendering continuing to live seems to be sufficient to bring out the original thought. One may, of course, follow a more literal translation, such as “living on in the body” (New English Bible) or “living on in this mortal body” (Knox). One may also stress the idea of cause and means and render this phrase as “because I continue to live,” or “by means of my continuing to live.”

The interpretation and translation of the second clause (literally, “this to me fruit of work”) is more difficult. There are two major interpretations. (1) According to some interpreters, Paul is saying that he will be able to reap the fruit of the work he has been obliged to leave incomplete because of his imprisonment. Knox obviously favors this interpretation. Giving “if” an interrogative force, he render the clause “But what if living on in this mortal body is the only way to harvest what I have sown?” Goodspeed appears also to follow this line of interpretation but phrases it differently: “But if living on here means having my labor bear fruit.” (2) According to other interpreters, however, rather than thinking about reaping the harvest of his previous work, Paul is here looking toward more productive or fruitful missionary work in the future. The term “fruit” is thus used in the sense of winning “converts” in Rom 1.13. Work is a term frequently used by Paul to refer to his missionary labor (Rom 15.18; 2 Cor 10.11; Phil 2.30). Good News Translation prefers the latter interpretation. By combining the two clauses and making “I” the subject, Good News Translation thus has but if by continuing to live I can do more worthwhile work (cf. Jerusalem Bible) To translate this rather obscure sentence in a more general way leaves it almost void of meaning (cf. New English Bible “but what if my living on in the body may serve some good purpose?”; Phillips “for me to go on living in this world may serve some good purpose”).

If one adopts the first interpretation outlined in the preceding paragraph, the conditional clause in this verse may be rendered as “but if by my continuing to live I can complete the work I have begun.” However, if one assumes the second interpretation (that followed by Good News Translation), it is possible to translate “but if by means of continuing to live I can do further work,” or “… can accomplish something more.”

In the last clause of this verse, Paul declares his inability to decide whether he should choose life or death, literally “and what I shall choose I do not know.” The Greek verb translated “I know” usually means “I make known” or “I declare,” and some commentators believe it should be translated in that way even in this context; that is, the apostle dares not venture to decide between the alternatives, but the choice must be left to the Lord. This interpretation does not seem necessary, however. The context makes it clear that Paul is faced with a real dilemma. So “I know not” is to be taken in the sense of “I am not sure,” or “I cannot tell” (New English Bible Knox Moffatt Goodspeed). It may be difficult to indicate clearly the alternative choices. One may wish to translate the final clause of this verse as “in that case, I am not sure whether I should choose to continue living or to die.” It may, however, be necessary to specify that the death anticipated is not a natural death, and therefore one may need to use such a term as “undergo execution” or “be executed.”

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 .