1 Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, any solace of charity, any fellowship of the Spirit, any feelings of commiseration: 2 complete my joy by having the same understanding, holding to the same charity, being of one mind, with the same sentiment. 3 Let nothing be done by contention, nor in vain glory. Instead, in humility, let each of you esteem others to be better than himself. 4 Let each of you not consider anything to be your own, but rather to belong to others. 5 For this understanding in you was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be seized. 7 Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and accepting the state of a man. 8 He humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, even the death of the Cross. 9 Because of this, God has also exalted him and has given him a name which is above every name, 10 so that, at the name of Jesus, every knee would bend, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those in hell, 11 and so that every tongue would confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. 12 And so, my most beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but even more so now in my absence: work toward your salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who works in you, both so as to choose, and so as to act, in accord with his good will. 14 And do everything without murmuring or hesitation. 15 So may you be without blame, simple sons of God, without reproof, in the midst of a depraved and perverse nation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, 16 holding to the Word of Life, until my glory in the day of Christ. For I have not run in vain, nor have I labored in vain. 17 Moreover, if I am to be immolated because of the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and give thanks with all of you. 18 And over this same thing, you also should rejoice and give thanks, together with me. 19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, in order that I may be encouraged, when I know the things concerning you. 20 For I have no one else with such an agreeable mind, who, with sincere affection, is solicitous for you. 21 For they all seek the things that are of themselves, not the things that are of Jesus Christ. 22 So know this evidence of him: that like a son with a father, so has he served with me in the Gospel. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him to you immediately, as soon as I see what will happen concerning me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself will also return to you soon. 25 Now I have considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and co-worker, and fellow soldier, and an attendant to my needs, but your Apostle. 26 For certainly, he has desired all of you, and he was saddened because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For he was sick, even unto death, but God took pity on him, and not only on him, but truly on myself also, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore, I sent him more readily, in order that, by seeing him again, you may rejoice, and I may be without sorrow. 29 And so, receive him with every joy in the Lord, and treat all those like him with honor. 30 For he was brought close even to death, for the sake of the work of Christ, handing over his own life, so that he might fulfill what was lacking from you concerning my service.
Philippians · Catholic Public Domain Version
Philippians 2 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Epaphroditus
Paul's brother, coworker, and fellow soldier whom the Philippians sent with a gift; he nearly died of illness.
Cited in the guide: Philippians 2:25; Philippians 4:18
Timothy
A disciple from Lystra with a Greek father and a believing Jewish mother, whom Paul circumcised and took with him as a coworker; he received two letters from Paul.
Cited in the guide: Acts 16:1; 1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:19
Cross references (30)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Colossians 3:12; 1 John 4:12; 1 John 4:7–8; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Psalm 133:1
- 2 Romans 12:16; 1 Peter 3:8–9; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 13:11; 3 John 4
- 3 Romans 12:10; Galatians 5:26; Ephesians 5:21; Ephesians 4:2; 1 Peter 5:5
- 4 1 Corinthians 10:24; Romans 15:1; James 2:8; 1 Corinthians 13:4–5; 1 Corinthians 10:32–33
- 5 1 John 2:6; Matthew 11:29; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 4:1; 1 Corinthians 10:33–11:1
- 6 John 5:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Hebrews 1:3; John 17:5; Colossians 1:15–16
- 7 2 Corinthians 8:9; Matthew 20:28; John 1:14; Romans 8:3; Isaiah 53:2–3
- 8 John 10:18; Hebrews 12:2; Romans 5:19; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18
- 9 Revelation 19:16; Matthew 28:18; 1 Peter 3:22; Isaiah 52:13; Hebrews 2:9
- 10 Isaiah 45:23–25; Matthew 28:18; Revelation 5:13–14; Hebrews 1:6; Romans 14:10–11
- 11 1 John 4:15; Romans 14:11; John 13:13; Romans 14:9; 1 John 4:2
- 12 2 Peter 1:5–10; Luke 13:23–24; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Hebrews 4:11; 1 Peter 2:11
- 13 Hebrews 13:21; 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9; Romans 9:16; 1 Corinthians 15:10
- 14 1 Peter 4:9; 1 Corinthians 10:10; James 5:9; Ephesians 4:31–32; Philippians 2:3
- 15 Matthew 5:14–16; 1 Peter 2:12; Matthew 5:45; Isaiah 60:1; 1 John 3:1–3
- 16 1 Corinthians 9:26; Galatians 2:2; 1 John 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; John 6:68
- 17 2 Timothy 4:6; Hebrews 13:15–16; Romans 15:16; 2 Corinthians 12:15; Romans 12:1
- 18 James 1:2–4; Philippians 4:4; Philippians 3:1; Ephesians 3:13
- 19 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 3:6–8; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; Philippians 1:1; Philemon 5–7
- 20 Philippians 2:2; Philippians 2:22; 1 Corinthians 16:10; 1 Samuel 18:3; John 12:6
- 21 1 Corinthians 10:24; 1 Corinthians 10:33; Philippians 2:4; Matthew 16:24; 1 Corinthians 13:5
- 22 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Corinthians 2:9; 2 Timothy 1:2; 2 Corinthians 8:22
- 23 Philippians 2:19; 1 Samuel 22:3
- 24 3 John 14; Philemon 22; Philippians 1:25–26; Romans 15:28–29; Philippians 2:19
- 25 Philippians 4:18; Philemon 1–2; Philippians 4:3; 1 Corinthians 3:9; Colossians 1:7
- 26 Philippians 1:8; Isaiah 61:3; Romans 12:15; Proverbs 12:25; Ephesians 3:13
- 27 Psalm 34:19; Philippians 2:30; Acts 9:37; 2 Corinthians 2:7; 1 Corinthians 10:13
- 28 John 16:22; 2 Timothy 1:4; Philippians 2:26–27; Acts 20:38; 2 Corinthians 2:3
- 29 1 Thessalonians 5:12; 1 Corinthians 16:18; 1 Timothy 5:17; Romans 16:2; Matthew 10:40–41
- 30 1 Corinthians 16:17; Philippians 4:10; Acts 20:24; Philippians 4:18; Philippians 2:17
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
There is nothing better, there is nothing more affectionate, than a spiritual teacher; such an one surpasses the kindness of any natural father. Do but consider, how this blessed one entreats the Philippians concerning the things which were to their own advantage. What says he, in exhorting them concerning concord, that cause of all good things?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
… in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, "every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess" to Him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all; that He may send …
… name above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father;" those books have not.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
how was He of David's seed? how did he "take the form of a servant?" how "was the Word made flesh?" and how saith Paul to the Romans, "Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is God over all?" Therefore that He was of us, and of our substance, and of the Virgin's womb, is manifest from these …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… heaven and on earth is named: glorifying Him with the Only-begotten: for he that denieth the Father, denieth the Son also: and again, He that confesseth the Son, hath the Father also; knowing that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)