SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 2002 – Page 3

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 3:5

3:5a

In 3:5–6 Paul listed the reasons why he could have trusted in human tradition and his own efforts, if such a thing had been important. His comments fit into two groups. First he listed four things that showed that he was a true Jew (3:5a–c), things that were true about him from the time he was born, not relating to anything he did. Then he listed three things that were the result of what he himself did (3:5d–3:6b). These seven things could have given him reason to be proud of what he was as a Jew. But he chose not to depend on these things.

In your translation you might put a comment at the beginning of 3:5 to show that Paul was giving a list in 3:5–6 of the reasons why he could trust in earthly things. See the second Meaning Line in the Display for 3:5a.

circumcised on the eighth day: One reason Paul could claim to be a true Jew was that he had been circumcised. God’s law, given through Moses, required this of all Jewish males; it said that they were to be circumcised on the eighth day. This was a sign that they were born as members of God’s chosen people. So Paul was saying that he had been circumcised, just as the law commanded.

circumcised: See notes on 3:3a for the meaning of circumcised. If your language does not use passive verbs, you will need to say who circumcised Paul. Normally it was Jewish religious leaders who performed this ceremony.

on the eighth day: By the Jewish method of counting, the day a baby was born was his first day. So on the eighth day means when he was seven days or one week old. Make sure you use the method of counting used by your culture.

Notice that the first meaning line in the Display says “just as God commanded our (excl.) ancestors.” The exclusive form of “our” here means that since the Philippians were Gentiles, they did not have the same ancestors as the Jews. See also the meaning lines for 3:5d, 3:6a and 3:6b.

3:5b

of the people of Israel: Paul was a descendant of Jacob. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel and his descendants were known as the people of Israel. So Paul could say he was related to all the Israelites.

of the tribe of Benjamin: Only a few Jews were able to list the names of their ancestors going back to the beginning of one of the tribes of Israel. But Paul knew that he was a descendant of Benjamin. This means that he belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, who was one of the twelve sons of Jacob. Two ideas for translation are:

I belong to the tribe of Benjamin.
-or-
I ⌊even⌋ come from the family of Benjamin.

tribe: The sons of Jacob were the leaders of their own families, which in time became clans because each son had many descendants. They also called each clan a tribe, even though all the clans or tribes spoke the same language, Hebrew.

3:5c

a Hebrew of Hebrews: Paul was saying that he was a true Jew and so were his parents. You could restate this as:

I am a true Hebrew, born of true Hebrews.

Hebrew: Some commentators say that the word Hebrew refers to those who were racially pure as Jews, with no Gentile blood in them. Others say it refers to Jews who followed the traditional customs, who still spoke the Hebrew language, and who considered themselves to be religious Jews. Still others say the word Hebrew has both of the above meanings. Paul was born outside Palestine, in Tarsus, but he insisted that he was a true Hebrew.

3:5d

After listing the things that were true of him since he was born, Paul here listed the three things he had done of which he could have been proud.

as to the law, a Pharisee: If anyone questioned whether Paul followed the Jewish laws, his answer was that he was (or had been) a Pharisee. In some languages it will be necessary to use the verb “to be” here. If so, it is necessary to decide which tense to use. Most likely Paul was thinking, as with 3:6a–b, of what he had been, before he became a Christian and so it is better to use a past tense: “in regard to the law I was a Pharisee.” Most English versions which supply a verb here follow this (Good News Translation, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, New Jerusalem Bible) and it also has good commentary support.

as to: This phrase in 3:5d and the next two phrases in 3:6 start with the same word in Greek: kata. This preposition can be translated in several ways, including, as in the New International Version, in regard to. In some languages it is possible to translate it the same way each time, but in other languages it may be necessary to vary the expression.

the law: This refers to the Jewish religious laws in general and to the laws of Moses in particular, on which the religious laws were based.

Pharisee: The Pharisees were a group within Judaism who were particularly strict about obeying the Jewish laws. They were very concerned about each point in the law. Before he became a Christian, Paul had faithfully followed the teachings and practices of this group.

You could translate the word Pharisee as “the Pharisee group.” This is an important word that should be in your glossary if you have one. See “Pharisee” in Key Biblical Terms. Many readers know the name Pharisee because they have read the gospels. In some languages it may be necessary to explain in this context who the Pharisees were. If this is so in your language, you could use a footnote, or include some implicit information in your translation. For example:

I was a Pharisee, ⌊which meant that I carefully obeyed the law.⌋
-or-
I was a member of the Pharisee group, ⌊who thoroughly follow the law.⌋

© 2002 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 3:4

3:4a

though I myself could have such confidence: It may be helpful in your language to make this a separate sentence. Paul is saying something that is qualifying his previous statement. To show this you may need to begin this clause with a phrase like:

However, it is true that…

I myself: The Greek emphasizes the first person singular pronoun, I. One way of doing this in English is I myself. (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version.) If you use emphatic pronouns in your language, you may be able to use one here.

could have such confidence: The text in 3:5–6 lists these reasons. The phrase could have such confidence is one word in Greek. It literally means “grounds/reason for trust.” In some languages it may be necessary to translate it with one or more verbs. For example, the SSA suggests:

could very well rely on them (SSA)

such: The Berean Standard Bible has included this word to connect this verse back to the “confidence in the flesh” that Paul referred to in 3:3c. Paul was referring to why he would have reasons, from a human point of view, to trust in who he was or what he had done, or to depend on human tradition.

Paragraph 3:4b–6b

Paul was saying, “If it would do any good, I could trust in my Jewish background and my custom of strictly following the Jewish laws, in order that God would consider me, more than anyone else, as one who belongs to him.”

Translator’s Notes places a paragraph break here (see also SSA) as do some English versions. Other English versions keep 3:4b together with 3:4a. This is perhaps because it divides up a single Greek sentence.

3:4b

Paul was not saying that he actually depended on his human background. He made it clear in 3:7–11 that it is useless to trust in such things. He was saying the if human background was important, he had a great human background to depend on. In some translations this may need to be made explicit by including a phrase such as the following at the beginning of this paragraph:

Suppose it were true that the things of this world were important….

If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh: This is an “if” clause, but Paul did not intend to express doubt. He knew that some people, those he was criticizing, did rely on the flesh. In some languages a literal translation may suggest that there is doubt about whether there are any such people. So it may be necessary to say something like “Since some people think they can trust….”

he has grounds for confidence: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has grounds for confidence is from the same root as the noun translated as “put…confidence” in 3:3c. See note there. It could be translated as “he can rely/depend on” or “he has grounds for trusting.”

I have more: Paul was saying, “I have more reasons to trust in earthly things than he does.” Another way you could state this is:

I am better qualified than anyone else to depend on physical things and human tradition.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 3:3

3:3a

we: The word we in this verse includes the Philippians as well as Paul. In some languages it may be necessary to make it clear that the word does not include the Judaizers. For example:

It is we(incl.), not them, who are the circumcision….

the circumcision: When Paul was referred to himself and the Philippians as the circumcision, he meant that they were the true people of God.

3:3b

worship by the Spirit of God: There is a textual problem with this part of the verse. The two possibilities are:

(1) “worship by/in the Spirit of God”; (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Revised Standard Version)

(2) “worship God by/in the Spirit/spirit”; (Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New Living Translation (2004); probably Good News Translation, New Century Version)

There is no real difference in meaning. It is recommended that you follow the first option (1). Paul was saying that true believers worship with the help of God’s Spirit. However, in some languages it will be necessary to supply an object for worship. If this is true in your language, you should use “God” as the object of worship.

Some ideas for translating 3:3b are:

We worship ⌊God⌋ because his Spirit helps us.
-or-
God’s Spirit is the one who helps us to worship ⌊God/him⌋.

the Spirit of God: This refers to the Holy Spirit.

General Comment on 3:3a–b

One way to translate 3:3a–b is:

We are the true people of God, for by means of God’s ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit we worship ⌊God⌋.

3:3c

who glory in Christ Jesus: Here Paul was saying that true believers are proud only of Christ Jesus, and depend only on Christ Jesus to save them.

glory: In this context the Greek word kauchaomai, that the Berean Standard Bible translates as glory, means “to be proud of something,” “to boast about something” or “to rejoice about something.” The same Greek word was used in 2:16 though the form and context are slightly different.

Some ways to translate the whole phrase are:

We boast because Christ Jesus ⌊is the one who saves us⌋.
-or-
Christ Jesus is the one we are proud of.

and who put no confidence in the flesh: This says the same thing as the previous clause but in a negative way. The believer cannot depend on anything but Christ. He cannot trust traditional ceremonies, such as circumcision, or any achievements of his own.

put…confidence: In Greek this is one word, a verb that means “to trust ⌊in something⌋, to rely/depend ⌊on something or someone⌋.”

flesh: The Berean Standard Bible translates this from the Greek word sarx, which literally means flesh. This word sarx is an important term in the New Testament. However, it is used in different ways in different contexts. It is important, therefore, to make the meaning clear in each passage and not just translate it literally.

In this passage (3:3–6), sarx refers to human tradition, human effort, things to do with the earthly life, and more specifically, things that are outward or external. Paul made a clear contrast between the earthly (3:3–6) and the spiritual (3:7–11). See “flesh” in Key Biblical Terms.

Here are some ideas for how to translate the phrase “who put no confidence in the flesh”:

We do not depend on earthly/physical things.
-or-
We do not believe ⌊God will save us⌋ because of the things we do as humans.
-or-
We do not depend on earthly behavior ⌊like circumcision to save us⌋.

General Comment on 3:2–3

Some translations have avoided using the idea of “circumcision” in 3:2–3. See 3:2c and 3:3a in the Display. However, circumcision is a very important term in the Bible and at some point you will have to decide how to translate it. Some translations say “cutting ritual,” “cutting ceremony” or “body-cutting ceremony.” Others have tried to follow the Greek and use a word that means circular cutting or cutting around. If you have a glossary in your translation, make sure that you explain the term clearly there.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 3:2

3:2

Most commentators agree that the three warnings in this verse all refer to the same group of people. These warnings are about “dogs,” “men who do evil,” and “mutilators.” These apparently were a group of Jews who had become Christians. They were called Judaizers. They were teaching that all Christians had to obey the Jewish laws in order to be true Christians. Paul strongly opposed this teaching and emphasized that people became members of God’s people through spiritual, not physical, change.

3:2a

Watch out for: This means “beware of.” It was a warning to not believe what the Judaizers taught. Some translations say: “do not be deceived by…” or “do not believe….”

those dogs: Jews often referred to Gentiles as dogs. This was because Jews considered dogs to be unclean animals, and they thought that Gentiles were also ritually unclean. See also Psalm 22:16 and Mark 7:24–30. In this verse Paul turned the idea around. He was saying that the Judaizers were evil and were like dogs. They were like pagans because their teaching was completely wrong.

In some languages, using the term dogs may give some other meaning that is not appropriate for this context. It may be possible to use a general term for “dangerous, dirty animal” or it may be best to translate the meaning without the metaphor. For example, it may be possible to translate the phrase those dogs as:

those who act like nonbelievers

3:2b

those workers of evil: This makes it clear that the term “dogs” refers to people who are workers of evil. It does not refer to a second group of people.

General Comment on 3:2a–b

In some languages it may be helpful to change the order of these two phrases. For example:

beware of those who do evil things, who are ⌊like a pack of⌋ dirty dogs

3:2c

those mutilators of the flesh: This is a third description of the same group of people. They are described as mutilators, literally “the mutilation” or “the cutting up.” This is a play on the Greek word for “circumcision,” which literally means “the cutting around.”

“Circumcision” is the cutting off of a band of skin, called the foreskin, from around the end of the penis. One of the Jewish laws stated that all Jewish males and converts to Judaism had to be circumcised as a symbol that they belonged to God. The Judaizers were teaching that non-Jewish converts to Christianity must also be circumcised. Here in 3:2c Paul opposed this teaching. He said the Judaizers were like people who destroy something by cutting it up or chopping it into pieces. Paul was saying that circumcision was no longer necessary to become part of God’s people and so he used this forceful language to speak against these people by calling them mutilators of the flesh.

In some cultures where circumcision is not known, it would be helpful to explain the custom of circumcising people in a footnote or in a glossary. Make sure it is clear that they did not cut off the whole penis but only the small ring of skin around the end of it. If it is not proper in your culture to refer to sex organs, make sure you use acceptable terms here.

In most languages it will not be possible to keep Paul’s play on words in the translation. But look for some way to make a contrast between “circumcision” (or “cutting around”) and “mutilation” (or “cutting up”).

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 3:1

Section 3:1–4:1

The Philippians should follow Paul’s example and trust Christ to make them righteous

Paul told the believers to watch out for those who were teaching that believers must be circumcised. He also warned them against those who were proud of doing evil. He encouraged them to follow his example instead. Paul tried to be like Christ and depended on him alone in order to become righteous.

In both 3:1 and 4:1, Paul talked about being joyful. Therefore, it is possible to consider that 3:1 is an introduction to this section and 4:1 is a summary of this section. However, some English versions consider that 3:1a is the final statement in the previous section and so attach it to the end of chapter 2 (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version). You may want to follow whatever the national language version in your area does here.

Paragraph 3:1a

3:1a

Finally: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Finally is to loipon, which literally means “[for] the rest.” There are different views about what it means here.

(1) Some commentators say that it indicates a change to a new topic and that it is best translated as “furthermore” or “concerning other matters.” For example:

Now then… (God’s Word)
-or-
Whatever happens… (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
And now… (Revised English Bible) (God’s Word, Revised English Bible, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) Other commentators think that it indicates that Paul meant to end his letter at this point. When he changed his mind and began writing about another topic, he left this word in the middle of his letter. (Berean Standard Bible, Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, NET Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1). If in your language you have no way to show such a change in topic, you may need to leave to loipon untranslated (as in New Century Version).

my brothers: The term brothers here refers to other Christians, fellow believers, not to literal brothers. You might translate this as “brothers and sisters,” “older and younger siblings” or “relatives.” The term brothers also occurs in 1:12, 3:13, 3:17, 4:1, 4:8. See note on 1:12a.

rejoice in the Lord: The following rephrasings of rejoice in the Lord help to show what it means as well as how you might translate it:

rejoice because of ⌊what⌋ the Lord ⌊has done for you⌋
-or-
be very happy because ⌊you belong to⌋ the Lord

rejoice: The Greek word for rejoice here means “be happy.”

Paragraph 3:1b–4a

Paul told the Philippians to be on their guard against people who called themselves Christians but were teaching that Gentile Christians must become like Jews as well as trusting Christ. Paul made it clear that God saves people because of what Jesus has done for them, not because they obey the Jewish laws.

3:1b

It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again: Paul was saying that he was willing to repeat things the Philippians had heard before. He did not mind doing it, because he knew it was helpful.

the same things: This phrase has been understood as referring to

(1) warnings Paul had given the Philippians earlier, in other letters or when he was with them. Translations that begin a new paragraph at 3:1b are following this interpretation. (New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible)

(2) the commands to rejoice that Paul had given in 2:18 and 3:1. Paul had already talked about rejoicing in 1:18; 2:2; and 2:19. These versions put 3:1a and 3:1b in the same paragraph and begin a new paragraph with 3:2. (Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, Contemporary English Version, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004))

The first interpretation is recommended (1). Paul here began to discuss again the warnings he had given them earlier and said they were necessary for the spiritual safety of the Philippian believers.

You could translate the phrase the same things as:

the advice I gave you before

3:1c

it is a safeguard for you: This means that if the Philippians listened attentively to Paul’s repeated warnings, they would be protected from false teachers. Paul did not want other people to deceive the believers. He wanted to prevent the Philippians from being confused about what they believed, and he wanted to help them avoid others who would harm them spiritually.

a safeguard: The Greek here is an adjective meaning “safe.” In your language it may be possible to translate it with an adjective describing the warnings as providing safety, or describing the Philippians:

you will be safer (Good News Translation)

Or it may be better to use a noun:

a protection (New Jerusalem Bible)

Or a verb:

protect

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 2:30

2:30a

because: The Greek word could also be translated “since.” This verse explains why the Philippians should honor Epaphroditus.

for the work of Christ: That is, Epaphroditus was serving Christ when he went to help Paul.

risking his life: This repeats the same idea as “he almost died.” A person is risking his life when he does something that might cause him to die. Paul did not say what this was, but it was probably whatever caused Epaphroditus to become sick.

It may be necessary in some languages to reverse these two phrases. See the second Meaning Line in the Display.

2:30b

to make up for your deficit of service to me: The Philippian believers wanted to help Paul, but they could not all go to Rome. So they had sent Epaphroditus with their gifts to help Paul. He represented them as he helped Paul. One way you could translate this more clearly is:

He helped me as you would have if you had been here.

Be sure your translation does not sound as if Paul were complaining that the Philippians had not done enough for him.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 2:29

2:29

In this verse Paul strongly exhorted the Philippians to accept Epaphroditus back happily. It is not clear why Paul had to encourage them to do this. It is possible that he thought that the Philippians might have been angry at Epaphroditus for returning so soon. They had expected him to stay and care for Paul. Thus Paul tried to assure them of how valuable Epaphroditus had been to him, and to convince them that the change of plans was truly what God wanted. Or Paul may simply have been encouraging them to joyfully accept Epaphroditus back, which he expected they would do, as 2:28b implies.

2:29a

Welcome him in the Lord with great joy: The Philippians should receive Epaphroditus back very happily as their Christian brother.

in the Lord: There are several ways to understand this phrase. The two main ones are:

(1) The Philippians should receive Epaphroditus as a brother in the Lord, because he too belonged to the Lord. (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible)

(2) They should welcome Epaphroditus as they should welcome another Christian, in an appropriate manner. (See SSA). (Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, Contemporary English Version)

Most English versions are ambiguous and it may be possible for you to leave this phrase ambiguous in your translation too. The Display illustrates interpretation (1). If you wish to follow the second interpretation (2), you could say:

Welcome him with great joy in the way you should welcome another believer.

2:29b

honor men like him: The phrase honor men like him means that they should honor him and other men also. Paul reminded the Philippians that they should respect Epaphroditus and other men who were like him.

men like him: This refers to Christians who were faithful to the Lord as Epaphroditus had been. The Greek phrase literally means “such ones.” So you could translate this so as to include women as well as men.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 2:28

2:28a

Therefore: You could translate this as “So…” or “For this reason…” or “That is why…” In 2:27 Paul gave his reason for wanting to send Epaphroditus back.

I am all the more eager to send him: Probably Paul already wanted to send Epaphroditus back to thank the Philippian believers for their gifts and to let them know how he was doing. But after Epaphroditus got sick and then recovered, Paul wanted even more eagerly to send him back so that the Philippians would know that he was no longer sick. Therefore, Paul said here that he was all the more eager to send him.

send him: It may be necessary to supply the implied information of where Paul was sending Epaphroditus:

send him ⌊back to you⌋

2:28b

so that when you see him again you may rejoice: Paul wanted to send Epaphroditus back in order to make the Philippian believers happy. Presumably they would be happy to see Epaphroditus again. And they would also be happy and relieved to know that he was no longer sick.

again: Translations differ in how they understand the word again :

(1) again goes with the verb “see.” The Philippians would see Epaphroditus again after his absence in Rome. (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Bible)

(2) again goes with the verb “rejoice.” When they saw Epaphroditus safe and well, the Philippians would be happy once more. (Good News Translation)

Although both interpretations are possible from the order of the Greek words, there is no reason why Paul would have spoken of the Philippians rejoicing again when he had not mentioned them rejoicing before in this letter. So it is recommended that you follow the first interpretation (1).

2:28c

and I may be less anxious: Paul was sending Epaphroditus back to relieve two problems. It would mean that the Philippians would no longer worry about Epaphroditus. And it would also mean that Paul would no longer be anxious about the Philippians because they were worrying about Epaphroditus.

less anxious: The normal meaning of the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as less anxious is “without pain.” In this context, it does not refer to physical pain, but anxiety or sorrow. Most commentators agree that this form of the Greek word does not mean that Paul would have no sorrow/anxiety, but that his sorrow/anxiety would be lessened.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 2002