Philippians · Free Bible Version
Philippians 2 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 So then, if you're encouraged by being in Christ, if you're comforted by his love, if you share together in the Spirit, if you have compassion and sympathy—
1 If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,
2 then make my joy complete by thinking the same way and loving the same way, spiritually united and having one purpose.
2 make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;
3 Don't do anything from a spirit of selfishness or pride, but humbly think of others better than you do of yourself.
3 doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;
4 None of you should be preoccupied about your own things—instead concern yourself with the interests of others too.
4 each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
5 The attitude you should have is the same as that of Christ Jesus.
5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 Though in his nature he was always God, he wasn't concerned to cling onto his equality with God.
6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 Instead he emptied himself, taking the nature of a servant, becoming like a human being.
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
8 Coming in human form, humbling himself, he submitted himself to death—even death on a cross.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.
9 That's why God placed him in the position of greatest honor and power, and gave him the most prestigious name—
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name,
10 so that in the name of Jesus everyone should bow in respect, whether in heaven or on earth or under the earth,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,
11 and all will declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 So, my good friends, continue to work towards the goal of salvation with complete reverence and respect for God, following what you were told—not just when I was with you, but even more so now I'm away from you.
12 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it's God who is working within you, creating the will and the ability to do what he wants you to do.
13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing
14 Do all things without complaining and arguing,
15 so that you'll be sincere, innocent of any wrong. Be God's blameless children living in the middle of a dishonest and corrupt people. Shine among them as lights to the world,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
16 holding out to them the word of life. That way I'll have something to be proud of when Christ returns, proving I didn't run around and work for nothing!
16 holding up the word of life, that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain.
17 So even if I pour out my life as a sacrifice and offering so you may trust in God, I'm happy for it, and I'm glad together with all of you,
17 Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
18 just as you have such joy and are glad with me.
18 In the same way, you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
19 I'm hoping, if that's what the Lord Jesus wants, to send Timothy to you soon. It will cheer me up once I know how you're doing.
19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing.
20 I don't know anyone who genuinely cares about you as he does.
20 For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you.
21 Other people only worry about their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.
22 But you already know what he's like—just as a child working to help his father, so he's worked with me to spread the good news.
22 But you know that he has proved himself. As a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News.
23 So I hope to send him as soon as I see how I'm doing,
23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it will go with me.
24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I'll be able to come too.
24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly.
25 But I thought it was important to send Epaphroditus to you. He's a brother to me, a co-worker and fellow-soldier. He's the one you sent to look after me,
25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need,
26 and he's been longing to see all of you, worried about you because you'd heard he was sick.
26 since he longed for you all, and was very troubled because you had heard that he was sick.
27 He certainly was sick—he nearly died—but God had mercy on him. Not just on him, but on me too, so that I wouldn't have tragedy upon tragedy.
27 For indeed he was sick nearly to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow.
28 That's why I'm so keen to send him, so that when you see him you'll be happy, and I won't have to be so anxious.
28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
29 So welcome him with much happiness in the Lord. Honor people like him,
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honor,
30 because in working for Christ he nearly died, putting his life on the line to make up for the help you weren't in a position to give me.
30 because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.
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)