SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 2002 – Page 7

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 1:13

1:13

As a result: Paul gave a specific example of how the gospel had advanced as a result of what had happened to him (1:12).

the whole palace guard: The palace guard was a group of soldiers who guarded the official houses of governors and other important Roman officials. The term was especially used for those who guarded the palace of the Roman emperor in Rome itself. This suggests that Paul was probably writing from Rome.

everyone else: It is not clear to whom this refers. Paul may have been thinking about other prisoners or other servants in the place where he was imprisoned. Perhaps he was referring to other important people in the palace or even to all the people that he had met in that city. You should not try to make this more explicit.

chains: This is a figurative term referring to Paul’s imprisonment (see note on 1:7b–c).

for Christ: You could translate this phrase several ways. For example:

because I follow Christ
-or-
because I am a servant of Christ
-or-
because I preach about Christ

© 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 1:24

1:24

more necessary: Although Paul considered it better to die and be with Christ, he also recognized that at that time it was more important or urgent for Paul to continue living. The Philippian believers had a need for Paul’s advice and encouragement.

for you: That is, “for your sake” or “so I can help you.”

remain in the body: That is, “continue to live.” See 1:22a for the same phrase.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 1:23

1:23a

Paul was not thinking about killing himself in this verse. He was not the one who would decide whether he lived or died. God would decide that. Even the Roman court could only put Paul to death if God permitted it. But Paul had time in prison to think about dying, and here he expressed his deepest feelings about how he loved Christ and wanted to be with him.

I am torn between the two: A literal translation of the Greek is “I am constricted/enclosed by the two.” This means that it was hard for Paul to know which of these two things he preferred. The Berean Standard Bible has used an equivalent English idiom to translate this meaning. Another similar idiom is “I am pulled in two directions.” Some languages have idioms with this same meaning, but if you do not have such an idiom, it may be better to say simply:

It is hard for me to choose
-or-
I don’t know which would be better.

1:23b

I desire to depart: This means “I want to leave this life,” that is, to die. Paul felt that it would be wonderful if he could die and be with Jesus as a result of his trial in the Roman court. There may be some appropriate idiom in your language such as “I want to leave this life.” Or you may need to say simply “I wish to die.” However, make sure that your translation does not imply that Paul was discouraged and tired of living. He was not. He was happy to continue living and serving Christ (as 1:24 makes clear). But he would be even happier to go and be with Christ in heaven.

and be with Christ: Paul wanted to die in order to go and live with Christ in heaven. In some languages it may be necessary to avoid implying that Christ is dead. If when you test your translation, you discover that people think that Paul meant Christ was dead, you could say:

so that I can go and live with Christ in heaven

which is far better indeed: The phrase far better indeed shows how deeply Paul felt about this. If in your language you must make explicit what Paul considers dying to be better than, then you could translate it as “much better ⌊than continuing to live on earth⌋.” If your language does not use comparative expressions like “better” or “better than,” you could perhaps translate this as “which would be extremely good.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 1:22

1:22–24

In 1:22–24 Paul discussed the advantages of dying and the advantages of living. He was making an emotional statement. He said that he deeply loved Christ and the Philippians. So he wanted very much to be with Christ in heaven, yet he also wanted to be with the Philippian believers on earth. But he knew that he could not do both at the same time. So it was very hard for him to know what would be best.

1:22

The grammar of 1:22 in the Greek is difficult, perhaps because Paul was expressing himself emotionally. The verse has an “if…then” structure, but it is not clear where the “if” clause ends. There are two possibilities:

(1) The “if” clause covers only the words “if I go on living in the body.” For example: “If I continue to live in the body, then that means fruitful labor for me. I do not know which to choose”. (Revised Standard Version, New International Version, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version, God’s Word)

(2) The “if” clause also covers the concept of fruitful labor. For example: “If continuing to live means fruitful labor for me, then I do not know which I will choose”. (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version)

The difference in meaning between the two interpretations is actually very small, but the first one is recommended (1).

1:22a

living in the body: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translated as body literally means “flesh.” Paul was referring to staying alive on earth in his present physical body. One way to translate this is as “living in this world.” See “flesh”, sense A2 in Key Biblical Terms.

fruitful labor: The Greek is literally “fruit of work” and refers to work that has useful results, work that is productive and worthwhile. Paul was specifically thinking about helping more people to know Christ and helping the Philippians and others to continue growing in grace. Some ways to translate the phrase “fruitful labor for me” are:

I can continue to get results from the work I am doing.
-or-
I will be able to help more people.

1:22b

So: Although the Berean Standard Bible translates it as So, the Greek connecting word, kai, means “and, yet, but.” It can show either continuation or contrast. Here it may indicate:

(1) the beginning of a further independent or even contrasting thought. (New International Version, Revised Standard Version, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version, Revised English Bible)

(2) the continuation of the thought of the earlier part of the verse. (Berean Standard Bible, NET Bible)

It is recommended that you follow the first option (1).

what shall I choose: You could restate this as “Which do I prefer?” Paul was not trying to decide what would happen to him. Only God could do this. Paul was trying to decide which of God’s choices would be better. He explained these two choices further in 1:23–24.

I do not know: The Greek verb gnōrizō has been interpreted in two ways:

(1) It means “know, perceive.” This is the common meaning in most classical Greek literature. (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word, New Century Version, Contemporary English Version, New Jerusalem Bible, King James Version)

(2) It means “make known, declare, tell.” This is the most common meaning elsewhere in the New Testament, and some commentators say that is what it also means here.

Although Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible translate it as “I cannot tell,” this expression can be an English idiom that means “I do not know” or “I cannot decide.” So it is not possible to be certain which interpretation these two versions follow.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 1:21

Paragraph 1:21–26

Paul wanted very much to go and be with Christ, but it was more necessary for the Philippian believers that he continue living.

1:21a

For: This word introduces the reason why Paul hoped that he would always glorify Christ. It means “since” or “because.”

to me: In Greek this is an emphatic pronoun. In this verse it is put at the beginning of the sentence for added emphasis. It indicates a change in topic. Paul was now focusing on his personal situation. If you have emphatic pronouns in your language, you may be able to use one here.

to live is Christ: In Greek this is a short and dramatic statement. For Paul, the whole purpose of being alive was to know Christ, to love him, to serve him and to honor him. In some languages, however, a literal translation of the phrase to live is Christ will be meaningless or it may even have a wrong meaning. If this is a problem in your language, it may be possible to say:

If I continue to live ⌊it will be to honor⌋ Christ.
-or-

⌊ The meaning of⌋my life is ⌊to know⌋ Christ.

1:21b

to die is gain: Paul meant that for him to die would be better that continuing to live because then he would be with Christ. However, if you translate the phrase to die is gain literally, your readers may not understand this. You could restate it as:

dying will be even better for me

Other possible translations that include more implicit information are:

when I die, that will be better ⌊for me because then I will be with Christ⌋
-or-
when I die, it will result in something that is better ⌊than living on earth.⌋

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 1:20

1:20a

I eagerly expect and hope: There are two ways to interpret the Greek here:

(1) expect and hope are two related but separate concepts. (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)

(2) expect and hope are parts of the same concept, where one part modifies the other. You could translate this as “I eagerly and hopefully expect…” (NET Bible, Revised English Bible)

Interpretation (1) has stronger support in commentaries and English versions and is recommended.

eagerly expect: The Greek term that the Berean Standard Bible translates as eagerly expect can also mean “eagerly desire.” However, most scholars agree that the meaning here is “eagerly expect.”

hope: The word hope here refers not to what Paul wished for but to what he confidently expected.

I will in no way be ashamed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translated as ashamed can mean one of two things:

(1) “put to shame, disgraced.” Paul hoped he would not do anything that would bring him into disgrace. He wanted to be approved by God. Specifically, he trusted that he would continue to please God by glorifying Christ. (New American Standard Bible, Good News Translation, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) “feel ashamed.” Paul hoped that he would never be ashamed of Christ and the gospel. He expected that he would continue to be bold in proclaiming the gospel of Christ.

The Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version and NET Bible are ambiguous here. But it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Paul did not want to disappoint God. He trusted God would give him courage to keep on doing what was right (see the rest of 1:20). In this way God would protect him from disgrace.

1:20b

will have complete boldness: This is literally “in all boldness.” It may be necessary for you to translate boldness or “courage” with a verb or adjective. For example:

will be brave enough to…

boldness: Most commentators agree that the boldness Paul was concerned about was the boldness to speak about Christ during his trial. You could translate this as:

I will speak boldly/bravely.

1:20c

now as always: This means that Paul hoped to go on speaking as boldly for Christ as he had in the past.

Christ will be exalted: The Greek does not say who would exalt Christ, and there are two ways to understand what Paul was saying here:

(1) God, Christ himself, or the Spirit would bring honor to Christ through Paul. People would praise and honor Christ when they saw how Paul served God while he was alive or by the way he died because he believed in Christ. In this way God would glorify Christ through Paul’s body. (Revised English Bible)

(2) It was Paul himself who would exalt Christ. For example:

with my whole being I shall bring honor to Christ (Good News Translation)

Most translations do not explicitly say who would exalt Christ. If you can use the passive (be exalted), that would be appropriate. But if you must use an active verb with an explicit subject, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with the majority of commentators and say, “God will exalt Christ.”

in my body: The phrase in my body is a figure of speech meaning “through all I do.” Paul wanted to honor Christ whether he lived or died. In many languages it may not be possible to translate literally and give this meaning. If that is true in your language, you could translate this phrase:

in everything I say and do
-or-
with my whole being

1:20d

by life or by death: By this phrase Paul explained what he meant by “in my body.” He included two ideas:

(a) If I continue to live, I want to honor Christ by the way I live.

(b) If I die, I want to honor Christ by the way I die.

General Comment on 1:20

In some languages it may be necessary to reorder the words of 1:20. This can help to clarify what Paul meant here:

I earnestly expect and hope that I will be brave enough to continue to glorify Christ by the way I live and the way I die, as I always have done, so that I will not be ashamed.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 1:19

1:19b

through your prayers: This refers to the fact that the Philippians had been praying for Paul. So you could also translate this as:

because you are asking God to help me

the Spirit of Jesus Christ: Commentators agree that the Spirit of Jesus Christ refers to the Holy Spirit. Similar expressions occur in Acts 16:9; Romans 8:9 and 1 Peter 1:11. Your translation should be clear enough that those who read your translation do not think that the Spirit of Jesus Christ is different from the Holy Spirit. They are two names for the same Spirit. You could translate the Spirit of Jesus Christ as “the Spirit who comes from Jesus Christ” or as “the Spirit sent by Jesus Christ.”

1:19c

my distress will turn out for my deliverance: These words are a quotation from Job 13:16 in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament.

my distress: The Greek word touto, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as my distress, literally means “this.” Paul probably had the whole situation in mind. “This” refers to what was happening to Paul at the time he was writing the letter, that is, the fact that he was in prison and waiting for a court trial, and also to the fact that people were preaching about Christ.

will turn out for: This is an idiom meaning “will lead to” or “will result in.”

my deliverance: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates deliverance is sōtēria, the word often translated “salvation.” So there are two ways to interpret sōtēria here:

(1) It means “salvation.” Paul was saying that the result of what was happening would be that God would save him. Paul would persevere in the faith and would be saved from sin, evil, Satan’s attacks and final spiritual death. Whether he lived or died, the enemies of the gospel would not destroy him. Many commentaries follow this option. (King James Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) It means deliverance. Paul was confident that the authorities would release him from prison. So he would be delivered or set free from his imprisonment and would not be put to death (at least at that time). (Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, God’s Word, NET Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)

Interpretation (1) seems to fit better here because of the context of 1:20. Paul was determined to honor Christ, whether it was by the way he lived or the way he died. Paul evidently considered death a genuine possibility, and interpretation (2) does not appear to allow for this. Therefore, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Paul believed that the result of what was happening to him (being in prison and facing a court trial) would be that God would bring him safely through both life and death to complete salvation in the presence of Jesus.

General Comment on 1:19b–c

In some languages it may be better to reorder 1:19 by putting 1:19c before 1:19b. You could translate it as:

a I know that c this will result in God saving me b because of your prayers and the help of the Spirit who comes from Jesus Christ.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 1:18

1:18a

What then is the issue?: The Greek here is an idiomatic expression something like the English slang “So what?” It does not expect an answer. In the Berean Standard Bible it is translated as a rhetorical question implying the answer “It doesn’t really matter.” Paul meant that he was not disturbed and troubled (as his rivals expected he would be) because some believers were preaching the gospel out of envy. Instead, he was just glad that they were preaching the good news.

If you have rhetorical questions in your language and you can use one here, make sure the answer is clear to the reader. If it is not clear, you may need to add an explicit answer, such as “It doesn’t matter.” Or, you may need to avoid the rhetorical question (see the third Meaning Line in the Display).

1:18b

that in every way: If your language uses different words to distinguish between two alternatives and more than two alternatives, you should choose the word indicating two alternatives.

whether by false motives or true: Some people were preaching the gospel for the wrong reasons and some for the right reasons.

false motives: The Greek word translated by the Berean Standard Bible as false motives means doing something just for appearance or show, or hiding the real reason for doing something. This refers to the people mentioned in 1:15a and 1:17.

true: The Greek word translated by the Berean Standard Bible as true is literally “in truth.” It refers to doing something for the reason you say you are doing it; that is, genuinely or sincerely. This refers to the people mentioned in 1:15b and 1:16.

1:18c

Christ is preached: In some languages it will be necessary to use an active verb and supply a subject for the verb “preach.” If this is necessary for you, you should choose something that clearly refers back to those about whom Paul had just been speaking. See second and third Meaning lines in the Display.

General Comment on 1:18a–d

In some languages it may be necessary to alter the order of the parts of the verse. Here are two sample translations:

a But this is not important. c What is important is that people are preaching the good news about Christ, b whether they have the right reason or not. d And I am very glad about that.
-or-

a They are doing this, but I am not upset. b Maybe they are preaching because they want to help me, or maybe they are preaching because they don’t want to help me. But either way d I am happy, c because they are preaching the good news about Christ.

Section 1:18e–26

Paul rejoiced because he expected that what was happening would lead to good, whether he lived or died

Paul wanted to bring honor to Christ whether he lived or died. He knew that dying and being with Christ would be the supreme good, but he also wanted to be with the Philippians to help them grow in their faith. And he expected that God would let him continue living and helping others.

Paragraph 1:18e–20

Paul rejoiced because he knew that the result of what was happening to him would be good, whether he continued to live or he died.

1:18e

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice: This phrase connects this section with the previous one. Paul was happy, not only because people were preaching the gospel, but also because he believed that what was happening to him would turn out for good.

Some translations put the phrase Yes, and I will continue to rejoice at the beginning of 1:19 rather than at the end of 1:18 (Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible). You should consider making this adjustment to the verse numbers if this is what your national language version does.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 2002