Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Crux Sola: Formed by Scripture to Live like Christ

Home
Evangelical
Translating Philippians: Reflections on the Art of Bible Translation: Part 2 (Phil 2:1-11)

Translating Philippians: Reflections on the Art of Bible Translation: Part 2 (Phil 2:1-11)

Last updated on: May 5, 2020 at 6:59 am by Nijay Gupta

Translating Philippians: Reflections on the Art of Bible Translation: Part 2 (Phil 2:1-11) 2020-05-05T06:59:20-08:00 Nijay Gupta

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Translating Philippians

This is a new series reflecting on Bible translation by looking at the Greek text of Philippians. In my book Reading Philippians, I offer my own fresh translation of this letter. I tried to provide a readable, modern English translation, which means I made some untraditional choices. Follow along as I talk through some of these decisions. Here we will look at Phil 2:1-11.

“…treating the other as if they were superior (and vice versa)” (2:3)

τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν

This verse is often translated “consider others better than yourselves.” But I think that is a poor translation. Paul wants believers to be humble and he is not interested in better or worse (i.e., objective quality), but rather subverting cultural status assumptions. I added “(and vice versa)” because Paul’s clear intent is that if everyone defers to each other (hence ἀλλήλους), everyone is eventually respected.

One of the biggest challenges I faced in translating Philippians is the Christ Hymn (2:6-11), which I call the “Ode to Christ.” I will admit I took some paraphrase liberties here because I really wanted to capture the poetic, artistic, and imaginative qualities of what Paul was aiming for here. I will comment here verse-by-verse.

Who once shined with the divine glory of God,

but did not cling to his divine status with a tight fist, (2:6)

ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ

I wrestled with the question—What does it mean for Jesus to have existed in the “form of God”? The best scholarship today (see Bockmuehl, Hellerman, Fowl, Eastman) argues that it is not about “nature,” but more so appearance, probably here referring to glorious visible appearance. Culturally, our “form” as humans will include our physical beauty and how our clothes and jewelry might display our status. So, I wanted to make that explicit.

Instead he willingly made himself nothing

as when one looks upon a common slave, so he took the humble form of a mortal. And just as he was found to be an ordinary human (2:7)

7 ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν μορφὴν δούλου λαβών, ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος· καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος

I wanted to avoid “kenosis” issues here, because Paul did not have in mind any emptying of his divine nature; rather, he was referring to loss of glory and splendor (or concealment perhaps). When it comes to becoming nothing, Paul had a ready-made image, that of the common slave. Now, Jesus wasn’t an actual slave, but the plummet from heavenly glory to earthly peasant was like a king becoming a slave.

indeed he lowered himself,

becoming a subject to the point of death—even death by shameful crucifixion. (2:8)

ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ.

I wanted to continue to play on Paul’s imagery of exaltation, so I chose “lowered” rather than “humbled.” Furthermore, I don’t like how most translations say that Jesus became “obedient” to the point of death. If that is what Paul wanted to say, he would have used the verb ὑπακούω. Instead, he chose the adjective form which means “subject” (like a king’s subject). It prompted the Greek reader to ask, subject to whom?

I also added the descriptive word “shameful” here because we (today) might associate crucifixion with pain, but the inhabitants of the Roman world associated it with shame and social, cultural, and political repulsion.

As a result of this obedience, God lifted him up on high, and bestowed upon him a superlative title, (2:9)

διὸ καὶ ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσεν καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα

Again, I wanted to continue with the spatial imagery Paul uses of lowering and raising up—here a super-exaltation (ὑπερύψωσεν; “lifted him on high”).

such that when all hear the name Jesus,

every knee will bend in the heavens, on earth, and below, (2:10)

ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων

Just a quick note: I find the language of “knees bowing” to be awkward!

And every tongue will confess “Jesus Christ is Lord,” And all this will bring ultimate glory to God the Father. (2:11)

καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσηται ὅτι κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ πατρός.

Note that the Greek text doesn’t have “is” in the phrase “Jesus Christ is Lord.” This is common in Greek. It is either implied or the confession could be put more simply “Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Ode to Christ is not about his divinity (I think that can be taken for granted), but about his honorable actions and his humility (which means putting the needs of others above self-protection, self-promotion). Sometimes doing the hard thing (putting oneself in a position of being shamed and even killed) is noble, but won’t look like it from an outsider’s perspective. Christ models for the Philippians total commitment to the Father, come what may. The Philippians are meant to imitate this Christ, even if they cannot replicate his perfect obedience.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

May 4, 2020

Eerdmans May 2020 Ebook Sale: My Picks

Next Post

May 6, 2020 Craig Keener's New "Little" Acts Commentary (Merely 600+ pp)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category (Mis)Understanding Philippians 10 Things I Can't Live Without 2023 New Books 30 OT HB Scholars to Read and Follow 5 Books Series 50-2-Follow Academia Christian Theologians to Read and Follow Cruciform Scripture: Contributor Reflections Crux Sola TV Editors Behind Great Books in NT Studies Education Gendering the Holy Spirit Gupta FB Live Lectures In Faith and Doubt In Their Own Words Living the King Jesus Gospel My Top 6 OT Commentaries New Testament Resource Guide New Word Biblical Themes Nijay's A Very Library Christmas Shopping Guide Notes from an Editor Notes on New Books NTRG OT in the NT Paul Seminary Now The Bible in God's World The Word Felt Among Us SPENCER Translating Philippians Uncategorized Why I Use Accordance Women in Ministry

Select a Month March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz