21He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.
Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, translators typically select the inclusive form (including the writer of the letter and the readers).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 3:21:
Uma: “When he comes, he will change these weak physical bodies of ours so that they are the same as his body whose power is no kidding. He is able to do that, because his authority/power is greater than all others. With his authority/power, he makes-to-submit everything there is.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When he comes here, he will change these our (incl.) bodies which are weak and die and make them like his body which never dies and which can dwell there with God. Almasi has power to rule over everything and he will use this power to renew our (incl.) bodies.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And on that day He will change our weak bodies and He will make them to be like His powerful body and when He changes us like this, He will use His great power which is what He uses to control everything.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “He will turn-these pitiful and mortal (lit. will-die) bodies of ours -into what is like his beautiful/fine body when he had come-alive again. And he is able to do that because of/by means of his power to persuade all that exists to-submit themselves to (lit. cause-themselves -to-be-ruled by) him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “He is the one who has supernatural-power with which he can-subject- all things -to-his-rule. And through the strength of this supernatural-power of his, he will make new our body which is for-use-on-earth, making it the same as the good-quality of his body which is for-use-in-heaven.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “He will change our bodies because they are now not strong. He will cause that they will become like his won body which is surpassing. He has the power that what he commands to happen will happen.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-chikara (御力) or “power (of God)” in the referenced verses.
God transcends gender, but most languages are limited to grammatical gender expressed in pronouns. In the case of English, this is traditionally confined to “he” (or in the forms “his,” “him,” and “himself”), “she” (and “her,” “hers,” and “herself”), and “it” (and “its” and “itself”).
Modern Mandarin Chinese, however, offers another possibility. Here, the third-person singular pronoun is always pronounced the same (tā), but it is written differently according to its gender (他 is “he,” 她 is “she,” and 它/牠 is “it” and their respective derivative forms). In each of these characters, the first (or upper) part defines the gender (man, woman, or thing/animal), while the second element gives the clue to its pronunciation.
In 1930, after a full century with dozens of Chinese translations, Bible translator Wang Yuande (王元德) coined a new “godly” pronoun: 祂. Chinese readers immediately knew how to pronounce it: tā. But they also recognized that the first part of that character, signifying something spiritual, clarified that each person of the Trinity has no gender aside from being God.
While the most important Protestant and Catholic Chinese versions respectively have opted not to use 祂, some Bible translations do and it is widely used in hymnals and other Christian materials. Among the translations that use 祂 to refer to “God” were early versions of Lü Zhenzhong’s (呂振中) version (New Testament: 1946, complete Bible: 1970). R.P. Kramers (in The Bible Translator 1956, p. 152ff. ) explains why later versions of Lü’s translation did not continue with this practice: “This new way of writing ‘He,’ however, has created a minor problem of its own: must this polite form be used whenever Jesus is referred to? Lü follows the rule that, wherever Jesus is referred to as a human being, the normal tā (他) is written; where he is referred to as divine, especially after the ascension, the reverential tā (祂) is used.”
In that system one kind of pronoun is used for humans (male and female alike) and one for natural elements, non-liquid masses, and some spiritual entities (one other is used for large animals and another one for miscellaneous items). While in these languages the pronoun for spiritual entities used to be employed when referring to God, this has changed into the use of the human pronoun.
Lynell Zogbo (in The Bible Translator 1989, p. 401ff. ) explains in the following way: “From informal discussions with young Christians especially, it would appear that, at least for some people, the experience and/or concepts of Christianity are affecting the choice of pronoun for God. Some people explain that God is no longer ‘far away,’ but is somehow tangible and personal. For these speakers God has shifted over into the human category.”
In Kouya, God (the Father) and Jesus are referred to with the human pronoun ɔ, whereas the Holy Spirit is referred to with a non-human pronoun. (Northern Grebo and Western Krahn make a similar distinction.)
Eddie Arthur, a former Kouya Bible translation consultant, says the following: “We tried to insist that this shouldn’t happen, but the Kouya team members were insistent that the human pronoun for the Spirit would not work.”
In Burmese, the pronoun ko taw (ကိုယ်တော်) is used either as 2nd person (you) or 3rd person (he, him, his) reference. “This term clearly has its root in the religious language in Burmese. No ordinary persons are addressed or known by this pronoun because it is reserved for Buddhist monks, famous religious teachers, and in the case of Christianity, the Trinity.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 202ff. )
In Thai, the pronoun phra`ong (พระองค์) is used, a gender-neutral pronoun which must refer to a previously introduced royal or divine being. Similarly, in Northern Khmer, which is spoken in Thailand, “an honorific divine pronoun” is used for the pronoun referring to the persons of the Trinity (source: David Thomas in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 445 ). In Urak Lawoi’, another language spoken in Thailand, the translation often uses tuhat (ตูฮัด) — “God” — ”as a divine pronoun where Thai has phra’ong even though it’s actually a noun.” (Source for Thai and Urak Lawoi’: Stephen Pattemore)
The English “Contemporary Torah” addresses the question of God and gendered pronouns by mostly avoiding pronouns in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (unless God is referred to as “lord,” “father,” “king,” or “warrior”). It does that by either using passive constructs (“He gave us” vs. “we were given”), by using the adjective “divine” or by using “God” rather than a pronoun.
Some Protestant and Orthodox English Bibles use a referential capitalized spelling when referring to the persons of the Trinity with “He,” “His,” “Him,” or “Himself.” This includes for instance the New American Standard Bible or The Orthodox New Testament, but most translations do not. Two other languages where this is also done (in most Bible translations) are the closely related Indonesian and Malay. In both languages this follows the language usage according to the Qur’an, which in turn predicts that usage (see Soesilo in The Bible Translator 1991, p. 442ff. and The Bible Translator 1997, p. 433ff. ).
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.
Here, kaete (変えて) or “change” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Illustration by Horst Lemke (1922-1985) for the GermanGute Nachricht für Sie – NT68, one of the first editions of the Good News Bible in German of 1968. Lemke was a well-known illustrator who illustrated books by Erich Kästner , Astrid Lindgren and many others.
In this verse Paul explains the purpose of the Savior’s coming. Most probably the reason for mentioning the subject of the transformation of the body is to introduce a contrast to what is said in verse 19.
There is a close parallel in the words and thoughts of this verse with those of 2.5-11. The verb rendered will change (New English BibleJerusalem Bible “will transfigure” Barclay “will change the form” New American Bible “will give a new form”) is related to the noun translated likeness in 2.7. This compound verb focuses on the unstable outward shape and appearance, as against the inner stable nature (see the discussion under 2.5-11).
There is nothing in our weak mortal bodies (literally, “the body of our humiliation”) to suggest that our bodies are inherently evil. It simple means that they are subject to change, weakness, death, and decay. In the Greek text the term rendered as bodies is singular (see Revised Standard Version; New English Bible “body”), but in English the plural forms seem more natural. The attributives weak and mortal must be expressed in some languages as restrictive relative clauses, for example, “he will change our bodies which are weak and which will die.” In some cases it may be best to render change our … bodies as “cause us to have different bodies.”
Make them like translates a Greek adjective (literally, “conformed”) whose cognate noun is rendered nature in 2.6. It suggests that the conformity is not simply a superficial and outward change of form, but a complete change of inward nature and quality.
His own glorious body (literally, “the body of his glory” American Standard Version) obviously refers to Christ’s resurrected and glorified body, in contrast to our weak mortal bodies. At Christ’s coming, according to Paul, true Christians will enter into a new state of existence, and their bodies will be similar in quality and nature to the body of the exalted Christ. The word, “glory” is often used to express the active and radiant presence of God, and in Pauline usage it often refers to the resurrection life. The body, as Paul uses it here, signifies not the outward form, but the whole person. Salvation is not considered in terms of the immortality of the soul apart from the body, but of the total person. For a clearer picture of Paul’s idea about the transformation of human existence, see 1 Cor 15.42-57 and 2 Cor 5.1-5.
In some languages glorious body is rendered as “shining body.” In this way a reference is introduced to the type of body which Jesus had at the transfiguration. However, the focus in this particular passage seems to be, not upon the shining appearance of Christ’s body, but upon its wonderful qualities as a resurrected body, and therefore it is somewhat better to translate glorious body as “wonderful body.”
The process of transformation is accomplished by using that power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule (literally, “according to the working of his being able even to subdue all things to himself”). The word for power is used only of suprahuman power in the New Testament. In 2 Thes 2.9-11 it refers to the power of the Wicked One, but in all other occurrences it refers to divine power (Eph 1.19-20; 3.7; 4.16; Col 1.29; 2.12). This transforming power is inherent in the Lordship of Christ, which is conferred on him by God at the time of his resurrection (see 2.10-11; cf. 1 Cor 15.20-28).
In this context power is not a reference to “authority,” but rather is suggests personal ability or capacity. This final clause may be rendered as “he will use that ability by which he is able to bring all things under his rule.” In some cases the term “strength” may suggest such personal power, for example, “he will use his strength so as to be able to….”
The expression all things appears also in 3.8, where it is rendered everything, meaning the sum total of what one did, has, or could have. The same expression is sometimes used in Paul’s letters to mean the entire universe (Rom 11.36; Eph 1.10; 3.9; Col 1.15-20 etc.). Since it is this latter sense which occurs in the present context, one can render the clause as “he is able to bring the whole universe under his rule” (Jerusalem Bible “he can subdue the whole universe”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “has the power to subject all things to his Lordship”). The thoughts here correspond closely with those in 2.10-11, where all beings in the universe are brought under Jesus’ rule with an open confession of his Lordship. There God takes the initiative, but here Christ is the originator of this power. To bring all things under his rule may be rendered as “to cause all things to be controlled by him,” “to extend his control over all things,” “to have everything under his control,” or “to cause everything to happen as he determines it should happen.”
Quoted with permission from Luo, I-Jin. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
the power that enables Him: This means the ability to be strong and to do great things. The power that Christ has makes it possible for him to take control of everything.
subject all things to Himself: This refers to taking control of all things.
In some languages it will not be possible to talk about controlling or ruling things. If this is true in your language, you could translate this “take control of all people/beings.”
Some other possible translations are:
make everything be under his authority -or-
cause everything to happen as he commands
all things: That is, all that God has created. This could be translated as “heaven and earth” or “all the world.”
3:21b
transform: This means to change something from what it was into something different.
our lowly bodies: The phrase our lowly bodies refers to the bodies we now have, bodies get sick and die.
to be like His glorious body: When Christ changes these earthly bodies, they will become like his heavenly body—the sort of body Christ had after God raised him from the dead. God not only caused Christ’s body to live again but he made it a different sort of body (see 1 Corinthians 15:35–58), one that was no longer able to die.
His glorious body: This refers to the body Christ had after God raised him from the dead. Through this new body, God showed his power and his glory.
General Comment on 3:21
In some languages it may be helpful to reorder this verse so that 3:21b comes before 3:21a. One way to do this is:
He will change our weak, human bodies to be like his glorious body. He will do this by his power that makes him able to bring all things under his control.
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