complete verse (Philippians 3:11)

Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 3:11:

  • Uma: “so that I will also be made to live again from death.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The reason that I want this is so that in the future I will be made alive from my death and I live forever.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason I want this is so that it might be possible that I be raised from the dead in the future.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because I of course expect that God will make-me alive again.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This persevering of mine isn’t just so-so, for I am hoping/expecting that I will be able also to share in being made alive again in the good-situation in heaven/sky.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I want that I also will resurrect when the dead resurrect.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Philippians 3:11

What Paul now says is literally “if in some way I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” The chiastic structure of verses 10 and 11 shows that this clause is to be taken with the clause immediately preceding. The expression “if in some way” appears to suggest some doubt or uncertainty in the apostle’s mind, but in reality what he expresses here is his sense of expectation and hope with humility. Good News Translation accordingly renders the expression as in the hope that (Goodspeed “in the hope of”; Jerusalem Bible “that is the way I can hope to”; New American Bible “thus do I hope that”; Phillips “so that I may somehow”).

The noun translated “resurrection” is an unusual double compound word used only here in the New Testament. It has the preposition ek (meaning “from” or “out of”) added to the ordinary word for resurrection. There is no indication, however, that one should attach special meaning to this rare word. Paul is probably not thinking of a “general resurrection” of all the dead, but of the resurrection of the faithful believers which will take place at the Parousia, that is at Christ’s second coming (1 Thes 4.16). Here the focus shifts from the participation in the life of the risen Christ here and now to the final and ultimate rising of the dead, when the believers will enter the promised state of eternal blessedness. In biblical thinking, resurrection is always an act of God. He is the agent who causes life and return to life. It is, therefore, best to restructure the final clause as I myself will be raised from death to life, implying that God is the author of this event. The passive construction will be raised from death to life may be made active by saying “God will raise me from death to life.” In a number of languages, however, death and life must be translated as verbs, thus requiring certain restructuring, for example, “that God himself will cause me no longer to be dead but to live.”

Based on the analysis given above, one can restructure verses 10-11 into two sentences: “All I want is to know Christ, namely to experience the power of his resurrection and share in his sufferings. I want to know Christ by becoming like him in death, in the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life.” It may, however, be necessary to make verse 11 into a complete sentence which could begin “In this way I can hope,” or “In view of this, I hope.”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 3:11

3:11

and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead: The Greek phrase ei pōs that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so, somehow can be understood in three ways:

(1) It means “so that in some way….” It therefore shows purpose. Paul wanted these things (3:10) in order that he could be among those whom God would cause to live again after they died. For example:

so that somehow I also may be raised to life (Contemporary English Version)

(2) It means “in the hope of somehow….” It therefore shows hope. Paul wanted these things (3:10) because he hoped and expected that God would cause him to live again after he died. For example:

in the hope that I myself will be raised from the dead (Good News Translation)

(3) It means “that if possible….” It therefore shows doubt about whether Paul would reach the resurrection. For example:

that if possible I might reach the resurrection from the dead (Revised Standard Version)

The first interpretation is recommended (1).

to attain: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to attain refers to reaching a place one was aiming for. Here it is used as a metaphor and it refers to reaching an objective or obtaining something one was working for. In some languages it may be necessary to remove the metaphor. Then this phrase could be translated:

that I may be among those whom God will raise from the dead

the resurrection from the dead: This refers to the time when God will make everyone come alive again.

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