PHP 2:1 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:27–2:11: Paul encouraged the Philippians to live as true followers of Christ

Paul encouraged the Philippians to act as believers should, to agree with each other and to be courageous when they spoke to other people about Christ. Since they lived among many people who were opposed to the gospel, they should expect to defend their faith. They should also expect to suffer because they trusted in Christ.

Paragraph 2:1–4

Since Christ has shown the Philippians how much he loves them, they should love one other, agree with one another and be humble.

2:1–4 is one long sentence in the Greek. In your translation you may need to divide this into several shorter sentences.

2:1

There is no verb in 2:1 in the Greek text. BSB has supplied “have” in the first phrase, but you may need to supply a verb for each of the four parts of the verse. Paul used these four conditional or “if” clauses (or phrases) to make his appeal to the Philippians very strong. What he was asking them to do is in 2:2a: “make my joy complete.”

Paul used the Greek word ei in each of the four parts of 2:1. It literally means “if.” But in this context Paul was not expressing any doubt that these things were true. He was assuming that they were true. If your word for “if” is only used in a conditional sense, you will need to use another connecting word here, for example, “since.” See the first Meaning Line in the Display for 2:1a, 2:1b, 2:1c, and 2:1d.

These four phrases have a strong emotional effect, and Paul’s basic aim in writing them was to motivate the readers to follow his instructions in 2:2–4. Look for a way in your language to express the emotional appeal and the strong feeling that Paul showed here. Try not to lose the emotional force by making long sentences in an attempt to explain the exact meaning. One possibility is to use rhetorical questions. For example, in 2:1a:

Does being united to Christ encourage you? Of course it does!

If you use rhetorical questions, you will need to use them in each part of this verse. See the second Meaning Line in the Display for 2:1a, 2:1b, 2:1c, and 2:1d.

Another way to translate 2:1 is to use short statements. For example:

¹You are united to Christ and this encourages you. Christ loves you and this gives you comfort. You have fellowship with the Spirit. And there is tenderness and compassion.

If you do this, you will need to begin 2:2 with a phrase to connect it with all these statements in 2:1. For example:

²Since all these things are true, make my joy complete….

2:1a

Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ,

¶ Since/if you are encouraged because you belong to Christ,
¶ Does it encourage you that you belong to Christ? Of course it does!
¶ You live in union with Christ and he/this encourages you.

Therefore: The Greek word that the BSB translates literally as Therefore indicates that what follows is the result of what preceded. Some English versions do not use a connector here. Use the expression that is most natural in your language.

if you have any encouragement in Christ: A literal translation of the Greek here is “If any encouragement in Christ…” But in many languages, a verb will be needed (as it is in English). The context implies you have (as the BSB uses) or “you receive” here.

encouragement: The Greek word that the BSB translates as encouragement comes from a verb that means “to comfort, encourage, cheer up.” It is not possible to translate encouragement as a noun in every language. If you need to translate it with a verb, you could say:

if you are encouraged/comforted because you are united with Christ

if being united with Christ encourages/comforts you

if Christ has encouraged you by uniting you with himself

in Christ: The BSB translates the Greek phrase literally as in Christ. People who are joined with Christ because they trust him are in Christ. They belong to him, they let him have control of their lives.

2:1b

if any comfort from His love,

since/if you are comforted by Christ’s love for you,
Do you get any comfort from knowing that he loves you? Yes, you do!
Christ loves you and this comforts you.

comfort from His love: In Greek, the noun love has no possessive pronoun (His). This means that commentators disagree about what love Paul was talking about here. There are four main possibilities:Another possibility is that it refers to God’s love for the Philippians. Some commentators suggest this so that this would then complete the Trinity in 2:1. That is: 2:1a—Christ encourages, 2:1b—God loves, and 2:1c—the Spirit provides fellowship.

Christ’s love for the Philippians.
Paul’s love for the Philippians.
The Philippians’ love for Paul.
The Philippians’ love for one another.

Many English versions do not make it clear what love is being referred to (for example, RSV, NJB, NASB), but those which do make it clear, follow the first option—Christ’s love for the Philippians (BSB, NIV, GNT, NLT, CEV, NCV). Since the exact meaning of the Greek is not clear, it may be preferable to leave it more general in your translation, if you can do so. However, if in your language you must provide a subject and an object for love, it is recommended that you also follow option (1). Believers do not have to worry even in difficult times because they know that Christ loves them.

2:1c

if any fellowship with the Spirit,

since/if you have fellowship with the Spirit,
Do you share together with God’s Spirit? Yes, of course!
The Holy Spirit shares together with you.

fellowship with the Spirit: The Greek is literally “fellowship of the spirit.” This may refer to

the fellowship that believers have with the Spirit. (BSB, RSV, NIV, NJB, GNT)
the fellowship that the Spirit helps believers to have with each other. (CEV, NLT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

fellowship: The Greek word here is koinōnia, which means “sharing,” “participating,” “having a part in something.” This Greek word has several related meanings. For example, it can refer to people sharing with one another or doing something with one another, or people joining together with others in some way. The sense in this verse has to do with participation in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells within and ministers to all believers.

the Spirit: Most commentators and versions agree that this refers to the Spirit of God. You may need to translate the phrase the Spirit as “the Holy Spirit” or “the Spirit of God” or “God’s Spirit” in order to make it clear to whom it is referring.

2:1d

if any affection and compassion,

and since/if Christ has been tender and compassionate toward you,
Has Christ been kind and merciful toward you? Of course he has!
Christ has been kind to you and has shown you pity.

affection and compassion: These two words can refer to two different feelings or to a way of expressing a single emotion. Most commentaries interpret the two words as two distinct but related ideas. The phrase affection and compassion has been understood as describing

how Christ felt toward the Philippians (SSA, O’Brien);
how the Philippians felt toward one another or toward Paul. (GNT, REB, GW, NLT, CEV)

If you need to translate affection and compassion as verbs, you will probably need to give a subject. Interpretation (1) is the most likely to be what Paul meant, and it is recommended that you follow it. Christ loved the Philippians and pitied them. He demonstrated this when he died on the cross to save them.

affection: This is the same word as was used in 1:8. The Greek word literally refers to the “insides of the body.” It means the “affections,” “the feelings of the heart,” “the center of a person’s emotions.” In this verse it means to be tender toward someone, to be kind and gentle to them.

compassion: The Greek word here means “pity, mercy, sympathy.”

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

οὖν

therefore

The word Therefore indicates that what follows is the natural result of or conclusion to what preceded it. Use the most natural form in your language to show this relationship.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εἴ τις & παράκλησις ἐν Χριστῷ, εἴ τι παραμύθιον ἀγάπης, εἴ τις κοινωνία Πνεύματος, εἴ τις σπλάγχνα καὶ οἰκτιρμοί

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Εἰ τὶς οὖν παράκλησις ἐν Χριστῷ εἰ τὶ παραμύθιον ἀγάπης εἰ τὶς κοινωνία Πνεύματος εἰ τὶς σπλάγχνα καί οἰκτιρμοί)

The phrase if there is any, which occurs one time in this verse, and the phrase if any, which occurs three times in this verse, appear to be hypothetical statements. However, they are not hypothetical, because they each express things which are true. If it would be clearer in your language, you could express the meaning of these phrases explicitly. Alternate translation: [because of the encouragement which comes from Christ, because there is comfort from his love, because of the fellowship of the Spirit, because you have affections and compassions] or [since Christ has encouraged you, since there is comfort from his love, since there is fellowship in the Spirit, since you have affections and compassions]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

εἴ τι παραμύθιον ἀγάπης, εἴ τις κοινωνία Πνεύματος, εἴ τις σπλάγχνα καὶ οἰκτιρμοί

In the three occurrences of the phrase if any in this verse, the missing words, “there is,” are implied and can be supplied in your translation if omitting them would cause confusion. Alternate translation: [if there is any comfort from love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if there are any affections and compassions]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

εἴ τις & παράκλησις ἐν Χριστῷ

If it would be clearer in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun encouragement by using a verbal form of this word. Alternate translation: [if Christ encourages you]

εἴ τις & παράκλησις ἐν Χριστῷ

The word encouragement could refer to: (1) “encouragement” (2) “exhortation” Alternate translation: [if there is any exhortation in Christ] (3) both the idea of “encouragement” and “exhortation” at the same time. Alternate translation: [if there is any encouragement and exhortation in Christ]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εἴ τις & παράκλησις ἐν Χριστῷ

The phrase, encouragement in Christ probably means the encouragement that Christ gives to believers because they are in union with him. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [because of the encouragement which comes from Christ] or [if Christ encourages you] or [because you are encouraged by being in Christ] or [since you are encouraged because of your union with Christ]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εἴ τι παραμύθιον ἀγάπης

Here, love probably refers to Christ’s love for the Philippians. Alternate translation: [if his love has given you any comfort] or [if his love for you has comforted you in any way]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

εἴ τι παραμύθιον ἀγάπης

If it would be clearer in your language, you could express the ideas behind the abstract nouns comfort and love by using verbal forms of these words and/or using them in a verbal phrase. Alternate translation: [if Christ’s way of loving you has comforted you] or [if being loved by Christ has comforted you]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εἴ τι παραμύθιον ἀγάπης

The phrase comfort of love refers to the comfort which the Philippian believers received from Christ’s love. If it would be clearer in your language, consider stating this explicitly. Alternate translation: [if you have received any comfort from Christ’s love] or [if Christ’s love comforts you]

εἴ τις κοινωνία Πνεύματος

The phrase fellowship of the Spirit could refer to: (1) the Holy Spirit giving the Philippian Christians fellowship with each other. Alternate translation: [if the Spirit has produced any fellowship among you] or [if the Spirit has given you fellowship with each other] (2) the Philippian Christians’ fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Alternate translation: [if you have fellowship with the Spirit] (3) both the Holy Spirit giving the Philippian Christians fellowship with each other and to their having fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Alternate translation: [if you have any fellowship with the Spirit and the Spirit has produced in you any fellowship with each other]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

εἴ τις κοινωνία Πνεύματος

If it would be clearer in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun fellowship by using it in a verbal phrase. Alternate translation: [if the Spirit has produced any fellowship among you] or [if the Spirit has enabled you to fellowship with each other]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

εἴ τις σπλάγχνα καὶ οἰκτιρμοί

If it would be clearer in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract nouns affections and compassions by using them in a verbal phrase. Alternate translation: [if you feel any affections and compassions for one another] or [if you have any affection and compassion for each other]

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εἴ τις σπλάγχνα καὶ οἰκτιρμοί

The phrase if any affections and compassions probably refers to the Philippian believers’ affection and compassion toward each other. If it would be clearer in your language, consider stating this explicitly. Alternate translation: [if you have any affection and compassion toward one another]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear PHP 2:1

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 1:27–2:11: Paul encouraged the Philippians to live as true followers of Christ

Paragraph 2:1–4

2:1

2:1a

2:1b

2:1c

2:1d

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)