PHP 2:6 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT who, existing in the form of God,
⇔  did not consider being equal with God
⇔  something to be grasped.

UST Although he was in every way the same as God, he did not insist on keeping all the privileges of being equal with God.

BLB Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider to be equal with God something to be grasped,

AICNT who, existing[fn] in the form[fn] of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be seized,[fn]

2:6, existing: The Greek word is in the present active case.

2:6, form: The Greek word means form, outward appearance, shape (BDAG, μορφή).

2:6, seized: The Greek word means (1) a violent seizure of property, robbery or (2) something to which one can claim or assert title by gripping or grasping, something claimed. BDAG also notes “only the context and an understanding of Paul's thought in general can decide whether it means holding fast to something already obtained... or the appropriation to oneself of something that is sought after” (BDAG, ἁρπαγμός).

OEB Though the divine nature was his from the beginning, yet he did not look on equality with God as above all things to be clung to,

WEBBE who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,

WMBB (Same as above)

NET who though he existed in the form of God
⇔ did not regard equality with God
⇔ as something to be grasped,

LSV who, being in the form of God, thought [it] not something to be seized to be equal to God,

FBV Though in his nature he was always God, he wasn't concerned to cling on to his equality with God.

TCNT who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited,

T4T Although he has the same nature as God has, he did not insist on keeping all the privileges of being equal with God.

LEB • who, existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped,

BBE To whom, though himself in the form of God, it did not seem that to take for oneself was to be like God;

Moff Though he was divine by nature, he did not set store upon equality with God

Wymth Although from the beginning He had the nature of God He did not reckon His equality with God a treasure to be tightly grasped.

ASV who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,

DRA Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

YLT who, being in the form of God, thought [it] not robbery to be equal to God,

Drby who, subsisting in the form of [fn]God, did not esteem it an object of rapine to be on an equality with [fn]God;

2.6 Elohim

RV who, being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God,

SLT Who, being in the form of God, thought not robbery to be equal to God.

Wbstr Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

KJB-1769 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

KJB-1611 Who being in the forme of God, thought it not robbery to bee equall with God:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Who beyng in the fourme of God, thought it not robbery to be equall with God.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Gnva Who being in ye forme of God, thought it no robberie to be equall with God:
(Who being in ye/you_all form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God: )

Cvdl which beyinge in the shappe of God, thought it not robbery to be equall with God,
(which beyinge in the shape of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,)

TNT Which beynge in the shape of god and thought it not robbery to be equall with god.
(Which being in the shape of god and thought it not robbery to be equal with god. )

Wycl that whanne he was in the forme of God, demyde not raueyn, that hym silf were euene to God;
(that when he was in the form of God, judged not ravin/plunder_or_prey, that himself were even to God;)

Luth welcher, ob er wohl in göttlicher Gestalt war, hielt er‘s nicht für einen Raub, GOtt gleich sein,
(which, if/whether he probably/well in divine shape(n) was, held/kept he's not for/in_favour_of a plunder, God even be,)

ClVg qui cum in forma Dei esset, non rapinam arbitratus est esse se æqualem Deo:[fn]
(who/which when/with in/into/on form of_God was, not/no robbery arbitratus it_is to_be himself equallem to_God: )

2.6 Qui cum in forma. Præmittit alta de Christo, ut hi in quibus est locus abjectionis non dedignentur humiliari. Non rapinam. Usurpando quod suum non esset, ut diabolus et primus homo. Vel, non est arbitratus se æqualem Deo esse secundum humanitatem, quod esset rapinam facere, id est, non suum præsumere. Sed semetipsum. Ostensa altitudine, subdit de humilitate. Aug., Ench. c. 35 et 36. Exinanivit autem se formam servi accipiens, etc., usque ad factum est ut homo Christus nullum posset habere peccatum. Formam servi. Non formam Dei amittens: forma servi accessit, non forma Dei abscessit: Exinanivit. Exinanire est ab invisibilitatis suæ magnitudine se visibilem demonstrare.

2.6 Who when/with in/into/on form. Præmittit high from/about to_Christ/Messiah, as these in/into/on to_whom it_is place abyectionis not/no dedignentur humiliari. Not/No robbery. Usurpando that his_own not/no was, as the_devil and primus human. Or, not/no it_is arbitratus himself equallem to_God to_be after/second humanity, that was robbery to_do, that it_is, not/no his_own beforesumere. But oneself. Ostensa height, I_submit from/about humility. Aug., Ench. c. 35 and 36. Go_outnanivit however himself form slaves accepting, etc., until to done it_is as human Christ/Messiah none could to_have sin. Formam servi. Not/No form of_God amittens: form slaves came, not/no form of_God abscessit: Go_outnanivit. Go_outnanire it_is away invisibilitatis his/her_own size himself visiblem demonstrare.

UGNT ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ,
(hos en morfaʸ Theou huparⱪōn, ouⱪ harpagmon haʸgaʸsato to einai isa Theōi,)

SBL-GNT ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ,
(hos en morfaʸ theou huparⱪōn ouⱪ harpagmon haʸgaʸsato to einai isa theōi,)

RP-GNT ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἶσα θεῷ,
(hos en morfaʸ theou huparⱪōn, ouⱪ harpagmon haʸgaʸsato to einai isa theōi,)

TC-GNT ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἶσα Θεῷ,
(hos en morfaʸ Theou huparⱪōn, ouⱪ harpagmon haʸgaʸsato to einai isa Theōi, )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, orange:accents differ (from our SR-GNT base).

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

The Christ Hymn: Christ’s Divine Nature

Philippians 2:6-11, often called the Christ Hymn, reveals early Christian beliefs about the nature of Jesus Christ. This hymn affirms that the early Christians believed in the preexistence and divine nature of Christ (see also Col 1:15-20; 2:9; cp. John 1:1-2; Heb 1:1-3). Christ is not simply another human prophet. He was present with God the Father from the very beginning, and he is the one through whom the universe was created. As the Son of God, he shares the nature of God himself. This claim was a major point of contention between Jesus and the religous leaders, who accused Jesus of blasphemy (John 5:16-18; 8:54-59; 10:30-39).

The hymn also affirms that Jesus Christ came to earth in an act of immense humility—the infinite God became human (Phil 2:7; see Col 1:15; John 1:10-14; Heb 2:14, 17). Jesus Christ, the glorious Creator of the universe, died as a sacrificial offering for the sins of human beings so that we might be forgiven and be reconciled to God (Phil 2:8; see John 3:14-17; Rom 5:9-10; Col 1:20, 22; 2:13-14; Heb 1:3; 10:9-14), as the Scriptures had foretold (see Isa 53:3-12).

This hymn also affirms that God raised Jesus from the dead, has given him “the place of highest honor” in heaven (Phil 2:9), and conferred on him the title “Lord” (2:11; cp. Col 1:18). One day, all created beings will bow before him and acknowledge that he is Lord of the entire universe (Phil 2:9-11), deserving of the worship that God alone is worthy to receive (see Rev 5:8-14).

Passages for Further Study

Isa 53:3-12; John 1:1-2, 10-14; 3:14-17; Rom 5:9-10; Phil 2:6-11; Col 1:15-22; 2:9, 13-14; Heb 1:1-3; 2:14, 17; 10:9-14; Rev 5:8-14

SOTN 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 2:5–8

Believers should think as Jesus did when he gave up his special place with God and humbled himself by becoming a man and dying on the cross.

Paul here turned the attention of his readers to Jesus Christ. Jesus was and is the supreme example of being humble and considering the needs of others more than his own.

2:6

This passage is often called a Christ hymn, and it may have been an early Christian hymn or poem, used in the early church. Paul then used it at this point because it was appropriate to his message. Or Paul may have composed it himself when he wrote this letter to the Philippians. Try to translate these verses not as a prose description but as a hymn or as a poem. Some of the English versions print these verses in lines like a poem (BSB, NIV, GNT). If you have a special way of printing poetry in your language, you could use it here.

2:6a

Who, existing in the form of God,

Even though he had the same nature as God,
Although he was like God in every way,

existing in the form of God: This could be literally translated as “being in the form of God.” The Greek word that the BSB translates as form is morphē. It refers to a form that accurately reflects the essential qualities of someone or something. Christ has always had the same nature as God (see the GNT).

2:6b

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

he did not think that he should try to hold onto his equal place/position with God.
he did not insist on keeping all the power and privileges of being equal with God.

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped: There are two main ways to understand this clause. The difference is in the interpretation of the rare Greek word harpagmos that the BSB translates as something to be grasped.

The word harpagmos refers to a person holding on to something he already has. This would mean that, before he was born as a human, Christ was equal with God. But in order to become man, he did not try to hold on to the privileges that came with being equal with God. He was willing to give them up. This is probably the most common interpretation of 2:6b. (GNT, NLT, CEV)
The word harpagmos refers to a person snatching or taking by force something he does not yet have. This interpretation would mean that Jesus as a man was not equal with God, but he did not use force to try and become equal with God while he was a man.

Most English translations, like the BSB, are ambiguous, though they most likely follow the first interpretation. The context of 2:6 is Christ’s preparation for becoming man. So interpretation (1) fits better with this context.

In some languages it may be necessary to use a direct quote here. For example:

He didn’t say, “I must hold on to my equal status with God.”

Try to make it clear in your translation that this was the attitude that Jesus Christ had.

equality with God: This means “being equal with God” or “having the same power and privileges that God has.” It probably refers to outward status and the display of greatness. When he became man, Christ remained truly God, but he gave up the outward display of his power and glory.

Parallel PHP 2:6

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

Paragraph 2:5–8

2:6

2:6a

2:6b