Work Out Your Salvation and Shine as Lights
Philippians 2:12-18
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Phil.2.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ωστε: CONJ
- αγαπητοι: ADJ,voc,pl,m
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- καθως: CONJ
- παντοτε: ADV
- υπηκουσατε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- μη: PART
- ως: ADV
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- παρουσια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- μονον: ADV
- αλλα: CONJ
- νυν: ADV
- πολλω: ADV
- μαλλον: ADV
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- απουσια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- μετα: PREP
- φοβου: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- τρομου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- εαυτων: PRON,gen,pl,3
- σωτηριαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- κατεργαζεσθε: VERB,pres,mid,imp,2,pl
Parallels
- Philippians 2:13 (verbal): Immediate verbal completion of the exhortation: after being told to ‘work out your salvation,’ Paul adds that God is at work in believers ‘to will and to work,’ showing divine enablement behind the human responsibility.
- Philippians 1:27 (thematic): A related Pauline exhortation to live in a manner worthy of the gospel; both verses call for consistent, obedient Christian conduct as the proper response to the gospel.
- Philippians 2:14-16 (structural): The immediate context that follows 2:12—commands to do all things without murmuring and to shine as lights—develops what ‘working out your salvation’ looks like in practice.
- James 2:17 (thematic): Emphasizes that faith must be shown by works; parallels Paul’s stress that salvation involves active, lived obedience rather than mere profession.
- Hebrews 12:28-29 (verbal): Calls for serving God ‘with reverence and godly fear,’ echoing the language of ‘fear and trembling’ in Phil 2:12 and linking obedience to a posture of solemn awe before God.
Alternative generated candidates
- Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but much more now in my absence—work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
- Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence—work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Phil.2.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- γαρ: PART
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ενεργων: PART,pres,act,nom,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- και: CONJ
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- θελειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- και: CONJ
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ενεργειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- υπερ: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ευδοκιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- Philippians 1:6 (thematic): Both verses attribute the believer's progress and completion in Christian life to God's ongoing work—'he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.'
- Philippians 2:12 (structural): Immediate context: v.12 exhorts believers to 'work out your salvation,' which v.13 explains is effective because 'God is at work in you'—one verse gives the human duty, the other the divine enabling.
- Romans 8:28 (thematic): Both passages speak of God working for believers' good—'God works...for the good of those who love him' parallels God working 'to will and to work for his good pleasure.'
- Hebrews 13:21 (verbal): Hebrews prays that God would 'equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us that which is pleasing'—a close verbal and functional parallel to God 'working in you to will and to work.'
- 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (thematic): Affirms God's faithfulness to accomplish what he has called to passivity/efficacy in the believer: 'The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it,' echoing divine agency in producing obedience and will.
Alternative generated candidates
- For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work according to his good purpose.
- For God is the one at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Phil.2.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Παντα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- ποιειτε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- χωρις: PREP,gen
- γογγυσμων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- διαλογισμων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- 1 Corinthians 10:10 (verbal): Uses the same admonition against murmuring—'Neither murmur ye'—and cites Israel's example as a warning, closely paralleling Paul's negative command.
- James 5:9 (verbal): Contains a similar exhortation not to grumble against one another ('Do not grumble against one another'), echoing Philippians' prohibition of complaints and disputes.
- Jude 16 (verbal): Describes certain people as 'grumblers' and 'complainers' (Greek γογγυσταί), using the same root and characterizing grumbling as a vice to be condemned.
- Numbers 14:27 (allusion): God rebukes Israel for their murmuring in the wilderness ('How long will this wicked congregation murmur against me?'), providing the Old Testament backdrop to New Testament warnings against grumbling.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
- Do all things without grumbling or disputing.
Phil.2.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ινα: CONJ
- γενησθε: VERB,pres,mp,subj,2,pl
- αμεμπτοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ακεραιοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- τεκνα: NOUN,acc,pl,neut
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αμωμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- μεσον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- γενεας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- σκολιας: ADJ,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- διεστραμμενης: ADJ,gen,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- οις: PRON,dat,pl,m
- φαινεσθε: VERB,pres,mp,ind,2,pl
- ως: ADV
- φωστηρες: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- κοσμω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 5:14-16 (verbal): Uses the same 'light' imagery and exhortation to let believers shine before others so that they may glorify God—parallels 'shine as lights in the world.'
- Ephesians 5:8-9 (verbal): Speaks of believers as 'children of light' who should walk as light, echoing Philippians' language of being 'children of God' who shine amid a crooked generation.
- 1 Peter 2:9 (thematic): Describes the people of God as a chosen/holy group called out of darkness into light—parallels 'children of God' and the vocation to display God's light in a corrupt world.
- John 8:12 (allusion): Jesus' declaration 'I am the light of the world' and the promise that followers will not walk in darkness undergird the NT motif of believers shining in a dark world found in Philippians 2:15.
- Philippians 2:14 (structural): Immediate context: the command to do all things without complaining leads directly to the purpose clause 'that you may be blameless and innocent... among whom you shine as lights,' showing close structural and theological connection.
Alternative generated candidates
- that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish among a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
- So that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish amid a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
Phil.2.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- λογον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ζωης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- επεχοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- καυχημα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- εμοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- εις: PREP
- ημεραν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- Χριστου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εις: PREP
- κενον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- εδραμον: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- ουδε: CONJ,neg
- εις: PREP
- κενον: ADJ,acc,sg,m
- εκοπιασα: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
Parallels
- 1 Corinthians 15:58 (verbal): Uses the exact assurance that labor in the Lord is not in vain—parallels Philippians’ claim of not having 'run in vain' and 'not labored in vain.'
- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (verbal): Paul’s athletic imagery of running the race and self-discipline echoes the 'run' metaphor and concern for running rightly so ministry is not in vain.
- 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (thematic): Paul’s closing image of having 'finished the race' and kept the faith corresponds thematically to running/working for Christ and awaiting the reward on the day of the Lord.
- Acts 20:24 (thematic): Paul’s determination to finish his course and ministry to testify to the gospel parallels holding forth the 'word of life' and insisting his work was not in vain.
- Philippians 1:27 (structural): Immediate letter context: exhortation to live worthy of the gospel and stand firm—connects to 'holding fast the word of life' and the communal goal of rejoicing on the day of Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- holding fast to the word of life, so that on the day of Christ I may have reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.
- Holding fast to the word of life, that on the day of Christ I may have cause for boasting that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.
Phil.2.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλα: CONJ
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- σπενδομαι: VERB,pres,mid,ind,1,sg
- επι: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- θυσια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- λειτουργια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- πιστεως: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- χαιρω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- και: CONJ
- συγχαιρω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- πασιν: ADJ,dat,pl,m
- υμιν·: PRON,dat,pl,2
Parallels
- 2 Timothy 4:6 (verbal): Paul uses the same poured-out/drink-offering imagery (ἐκχέεται ἡ ἐμὴ θυσία) to describe his imminent death — a close verbal and thematic parallel to being 'poured out' as a sacrifice.
- Philippians 4:18 (verbal): Paul calls the Philippians' gift a 'fragrant offering' (θυσίαν εὐωδιαῖαν), continuing the sacrificial/offering language that frames ministry and support in 2:17.
- Romans 15:16 (thematic): Paul describes his ministry as priestly service to present the Gentiles as a holy sacrifice to God — connects the ideas of ministry, sacrifice, and service found in Phil 2:17.
- 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (thematic): Paul speaks of believers (and his ministry) as the 'fragrance of Christ' before God, using sacrificial/odor imagery that parallels the offering and service language of Phil 2:17.
- Romans 12:1 (thematic): The call to present one's body as a living sacrifice echoes the sacrificial-service motif in Phil 2:17 — both portray Christian service and self-giving as spiritual offerings to God.
Alternative generated candidates
- Even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
- Even if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
Phil.2.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- δε: CONJ
- αυτο: PRON,acc,sg,neut
- και: CONJ
- υμεις: PRON,nom,pl,2
- χαιρετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- συγχαιρετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
Parallels
- Philippians 4:4 (verbal): Direct, repeated exhortation to rejoice ('Rejoice in the Lord always'); same exhortatory vocabulary and communal call to joy as in Phil 2:18.
- Philippians 3:1 (structural): Paul's concluding admonition in the letter to 'rejoice in the Lord'—a parallel closing exhortation that frames joy as a key Pauline theme in Philippians.
- Romans 12:15 (thematic): Call for shared emotional life among believers ('Rejoice with those who rejoice') parallels Phil 2:18's appeal that the recipients rejoice together with Paul.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (thematic): Brief imperative 'Rejoice always' reflects the Pauline ethic of continual joy underlying Phil 2:18's call to communal rejoicing.
- 2 Corinthians 6:10 (thematic): Paul describes being 'sorrowful, yet always rejoicing,' highlighting the paradoxical steadfast joy that undergirds appeals like Phil 2:18 for shared rejoicing despite hardship.
Alternative generated candidates
- And in the same way you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
- So you also should rejoice and be glad with me.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but much more now in my absence—work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
For God is the one at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
holding fast to the word of life—so that on the day of Christ I may have reason to boast that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and I rejoice with you all.
Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.