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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Php 2 V1 V2 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30
OET (OET-LV) Nothing do according_to selfish_ambition nor according_to vain_conceit, but the in_humility one_another considering being_above of_themselves,
OET (OET-RV) Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or in vain conceit, but show humility and consider others to be more important than yourselves,
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.
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.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride,
Never try to make yourselves more important than others, and never do anything just because you want to boast about it.
Do nothing out of: This means “Do not do anything from,” that is, “Never act in accord with” or “…in a spirit of.”
selfish ambition: The Greek word that the BSB translates as selfish ambition also occurs in 1:17a. See note there. You may need to translate it with a verb. For example, “trying to make yourself [or yourselves] seem more important than others.”
empty pride: The Greek word that the BSB translates as empty pride can also be translated as “conceit” or “vanity.” A person who has empty pride is one who is proud and who boasts. He praises himself and thinks that his ideas are always the best.
but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
Instead, be humble and think of others as more important than yourselves.
humility: The word humility is the opposite of “selfish ambition” and “empty pride” in 2:3a. The Greek word refers to someone who has the characteristics of meekness or lowliness. If you need to translate this as a verb, you could say:
act as if you were not important
submit yourselves to others
consider others more important than yourselves: A believer should not think of himself as more important than or superior to others, as some in Philippi may have been doing. Each believer should think of other people as more important than himself. This is another way of saying “be humble.” Another way to say this could be:
give more honor to others than you give to yourselves
In some languages it may be helpful to reverse this sentence in order to make the negative command “Do nothing” into a positive command “Do everything.” A suggested model is:
Do everything in humility and by considering others better than yourselves. Do not be ambitious for yourself or try to make yourself look great.
μηδὲν κατ’ ἐριθείαν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μηδέν κατʼ ἐριθείαν μηδέ κατά κενοδοξίαν ἀλλά τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν)
Alternate translation: [Do not be selfishly ambitious] or [Do not do anything with an attitude of self-importance]
μηδὲ κατὰ κενοδοξίαν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μηδέν κατʼ ἐριθείαν μηδέ κατά κενοδοξίαν ἀλλά τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν)
Alternate translation: [or with empty pride]
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
μηδὲ κατὰ κενοδοξίαν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μηδέν κατʼ ἐριθείαν μηδέ κατά κενοδοξίαν ἀλλά τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν)
If your language does not use an abstract noun for this idea, you can express the idea behind the abstract noun conceit by using an adjective or some other way. Alternate translation: [or with prideful motives]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ἀλλὰ τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μηδέν κατʼ ἐριθείαν μηδέ κατά κενοδοξίαν ἀλλά τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν)
If your language does not use an abstract noun for this idea, you can express the idea behind the abstract noun humility by using an adjective or some other way. Alternate translation: [but rather, act in a humble way by considering others more important than yourselves]
2:1-11 In the midst of their persecution, Paul encourages the Philippians to be united and to live a humble life like Christ.
OET (OET-LV) Nothing do according_to selfish_ambition nor according_to vain_conceit, but the in_humility one_another considering being_above of_themselves,
OET (OET-RV) Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or in vain conceit, but show humility and consider others to be more important than yourselves,
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.