Filipi 1:10

1:10 so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,

Filipi 1:13

1:13 The ¹  whole imperial guard ²  and everyone else knows ³  that I am in prison ⁴  for the sake of Christ,

Filipi 1:22

1:22 Now if I am to go on living in the body, ⁵  this will mean productive work ⁶  for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer: ⁷ 

Filipi 1:29--2:1

1:29 For it has been granted to you ⁸  not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him, 1:30 since you are encountering ⁹  the same conflict that you saw me face and now hear that I am facing. ¹⁰ 

Christian Unity and Christ’s Humility

2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, ¹¹  any affection or mercy, ¹² 

Filipi 2:7

2:7 but emptied himself

by taking on the form of a slave, ¹³ 

by looking like other men, ¹⁴ 

and by sharing in human nature. ¹⁵ 

Filipi 2:26

2:26 Indeed, he greatly missed all of you and was distressed because you heard that he had been ill.

Filipi 3:4

3:4 – though mine too are significant. ¹⁶  If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials, ¹⁷  I have more:

Filipi 3:17

3:17 Be imitators of me, ¹⁸  brothers and sisters, ¹⁹  and watch carefully those who are living this way, just as you have us as an example.

Filipi 3:20

3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

[1:13]  ¹ tn Grk “so that the whole imperial guard.” The ὥστε (Jwste) clause that begins v. 13 indicates two results of the spread of the gospel: Outsiders know why Paul is imprisoned (v. 13) and believers are emboldened by his imprisonment (v. 14).

[1:13]  ² sn The whole imperial guard (Grk “praetorium”) can refer to the elite troops stationed in Rome or the headquarters of administrators in the provinces (cf. Matt 27:27; Mark 15:16; John 18:28, 33; 19:9; Acts 23:35). In either case a metonymy is involved, with the place (the praetorium) put for those (soldiers or government officials) who were connected with it or stationed in it.

[1:13]  ³ tn Grk “it has become known by the whole imperial guard and all the rest.”

[1:13]  ⁴ tn Grk “my bonds [are].”

[1:22]  ⁵ tn Grk “flesh.”

[1:22]  ⁶ tn Grk “fruit of work”; the genitive ἔργου (ergou) is taken as an attributed genitive in which the head noun, καρπός (karpos), functions attributively (cf. ExSyn 89-91).

[1:22]  ⁷ tn Grk “what I shall prefer.” The Greek verb αἱρέω (Jairew) could also mean “choose,” but in this context such a translation is problematic for it suggests that Paul could perhaps choose suicide (cf. L&N 30.86).

[1:22]  sn I don’t know what I prefer. Paul is here struggling with what would be most beneficial for both him and the church. He resolves this issue in vv. 24-25.

[1:29]  ⁸ tn Grk “For that which is on behalf of Christ has been granted to you – namely, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him.” The infinitive phrases are epexegetical to the subject, τὸ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ (to Juper Cristou), which has the force of “the on-behalf-of-Christ thing,” or “the thing on behalf of Christ.” To translate this in English requires a different idiom.

[1:30]  ⁹ tn Grk “having,” most likely as an instrumental participle. Thus their present struggle is evidence that they have received the gift of suffering.

[1:30]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “that you saw in me and now hear [to be] in me.”

[2:1]  ¹¹ tn Or “spiritual fellowship” if πνεύματος (pneumato") is an attributive genitive; or “fellowship brought about by the Spirit” if πνεύματος is a genitive of source or production.

[2:1]  ¹² tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.

[2:7]  ¹³ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 1:1.

[2:7]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “by coming in the likeness of people.”

[2:7]  sn The expression the likeness of men is similar to Paul’s wording in Rom 8:3 (“in the likeness of sinful flesh”). The same word “likeness” is used in both passages. It implies that there is a form that does not necessarily correspond to reality. In Rom 8:3, the meaning is that Christ looked like sinful humanity. Here the meaning is similar: Jesus looked like other men (note anqrwpoi), but was in fact different from them in that he did not have a sin nature.

[2:7]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “and by being found in form as a man.” The versification of vv. 7 and 8 (so also NRSV) is according to the versification in the NA²⁷ and UBS⁴ editions of the Greek text. Some translations, however, break the verses in front of this phrase (NKJV, NASB, NIV, NLT). The same material has been translated in each case; the only difference is the versification of that material.

[2:7]  sn By sharing in human nature. This last line of v. 7 (line d) stands in tension with the previous line, line c (“by looking like other men”). Both lines have a word indicating form or likeness. Line c, as noted above, implies that Christ only appeared to be like other people. Line d, however, uses a different term that implies a correspondence between form and reality. Further, line c uses the plural “men” while line d uses the singular “man.” The theological point being made is that Christ looked just like other men, but he was not like other men (in that he was not sinful), though he was fully human.

[3:4]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “though I have reason for confidence even in the flesh.”

[3:4]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “flesh.”

[3:17]  ¹⁸ tn Or “become fellow imitators with me [of Christ].”

[3:17]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.