Atlas Biblica

    Philippians · 30 verses

    Philippians 2

    Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.

    The chapter

    What happens here

    Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.

    Epaphroditus nearly dies, and the reason given sounds like bookkeeping: he risked his life to settle someone else’s unpaid service account.

    The mind that goes down before it goes upvv. 1–18

    The passage begins with a remarkably crowded bundle of encouragement, love, fellowship, affection, and compassion, all expected to produce one result: a people united in purpose. Pride is shown the door, and attention is turned outward. Then comes the great descent: Jesus, existing in the form of God, takes the form of a servant and goes all the way to death on a cross. The movement reverses at once. God exalts Him, and the universe is given a surprisingly complete seating plan—heaven, earth, and under the earth—all bending the knee. The practical instructions continue in a sterner key: work out salvation with fear and trembling, do everything without complaining, and shine in a crooked generation. Even the speaker’s possible death is treated as a drink offering, which is an unusually cheerful way to discuss being poured out.

    The personnel reportvv. 19–24

    The speaker hopes to send Timothy, not merely as a courier but as the one person available who will genuinely care about the others. The comparison is blunt enough to make a hiring committee blink: everyone else is said to be looking after his own interests rather than those of Jesus Christ. Timothy’s credentials are personal and familial in shape—he served like a child with his father—and his work advanced the gospel. The speaker also trusts that he himself will come soon, though no timetable is supplied.

    The man sent backvv. 25–30

    Epaphroditus is sent back carrying an impressive bundle of titles: brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, messenger, and minister to the speaker’s needs. He has been longing for all of them and is distressed that they heard he was ill. The illness was no small inconvenience; he was nearly unto death. Yet the concern runs in both directions: God had mercy on Epaphroditus, and on the speaker too, sparing sorrow upon sorrow. His return is meant to bring rejoicing on one side and less anxiety on the other. The final reason for honoring men like him is starkly practical and gloriously odd: Epaphroditus nearly died while making up a deficit of service.

    The text

    Read it

    Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.

    1. Phil 2:1Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

    2. Phil 2:2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.

    3. Phil 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.

    4. Phil 2:4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

    5. Phil 2:5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:

    6. Phil 2:6Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

    7. Phil 2:7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.

    8. Phil 2:8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.

    9. Phil 2:9Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,

    10. Phil 2:10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

    11. Phil 2:11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

    12. Phil 2:12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

    13. Phil 2:13For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.

    14. Phil 2:14Do everything without complaining or arguing,

    15. Phil 2:15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world

    16. Phil 2:16as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

    17. Phil 2:17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

    18. Phil 2:18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

    19. Phil 2:19Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing.

    20. Phil 2:20I have nobody else like him who will genuinely care for your needs.

    21. Phil 2:21For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

    22. Phil 2:22But you know Timothy’s proven worth, that as a child with his father he has served with me to advance the gospel.

    23. Phil 2:23So I hope to send him as soon as I see what happens with me.

    24. Phil 2:24And I trust in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

    25. Phil 2:25But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs.

    26. Phil 2:26For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.

    27. Phil 2:27He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

    28. Phil 2:28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less anxious.

    29. Phil 2:29Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him,

    30. Phil 2:30because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for your deficit of service to me.

    01 — Also here

    Who else the chapter reaches

    Names written in the English are linked in the text above. These are the ones that are not: an entity the Hebrew or Greek names under a spelling the translation does not use, or one reached only by an assertion about a verse of this chapter.

    Reached by an assertion Atlas extracted from a verse of this chapter rather than by a name written in it — a pronoun, a title, or a participant the sentence carries without naming. This layer is model-read and measured at 88.6–90.3% precision, and it is kept separate from the names above for that reason.

    02 — Read alongside

    Where this is echoed

    Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 627 passages were voted onto 30 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.

    • 13Hebrews 13:21equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
    • 3Romans 12:10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
    • 132 Corinthians 3:5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.
    • 132 Timothy 1:9He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
    • 41 Corinthians 10:24No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
    • 13Romans 9:16So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
    • 51 John 2:6Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.
    • 122 Peter 1:5–10For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
    • 5Matthew 11:29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
    • 3Galatians 5:26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.
    • 3Ephesians 5:21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
    • 51 Peter 2:21For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:
    • 10Isaiah 45:23–25By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
    • 72 Corinthians 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
    • 3Ephesians 4:2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
    • 9Revelation 19:16And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

    Onward

    Keep reading

    Next chapterPhilippians 321 verses.Named hereEpaphroditusEverything the graph connects to this name.BookPhilippiansAll 4 chapters.Every bookThe Bible66 books, 1,189 chapters.