Philippians 2:3

Philippians 2:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
• New International Version (NIV)Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Context of Philippians 2:3

1You belong to Christ, and he makes you brave. His love makes you strong. You are able to help one another because his Spirit is in you. You can be kind to each other, and you can forgive each other. 2Because of that, this is how you can make me completely happy: In your mind, think about things in the same way as one another. Love one another completely. In your spirit, agree with one another. And work together for the same purpose. In the way that you live, do not just try to help yourself. Do not be proud. Instead, respect other people. Think about other people as more important than yourself. 4Do not think only about the things that you want to do for yourself. Each of you should think also about how you can help other people. 5You should think about things in the same way that Christ Jesus thought:

Philippians 2:3 word by word

μηδὲν κατ᾽ ἐριθείαν μηδὲ κατὰ κενοδοξίαν ἀλλὰ τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• nothingμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
• throughκατάkata · according toG2596
• strifeἐριθείαeritheia · rivalryG2052
• orἤē · orG2228
• vaingloryκενοδοξίαkenodoxia · empty conceitG2754
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• in lowliness of mindὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• in lowliness of mindταπεινοφροσύνηtapeinophrosunē · humilityG5012
• letἡγέομαιhēgeomai · to governG2233
• eachἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
• betterὑπερέχωhuperechō · be higherG5242
• than themselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438

Cross-references for Philippians 2:3

• Philippians 2:14Whatever you are doing, do not complain. And do not argue.
• Philippians 1:15It is true that some of these Christians are jealous of me. They want to show that they are better than me. That is why they tell people the message about Christ. But other Christians speak about Christ because they want to help me.
• Proverbs 13:10A person who boasts only causes trouble. But if you accept good advice, it shows that you are wise.
• Romans 13:13We should live in a good way, because we live in the light of day. We should not go to wild parties. We must not be drunks. We must not have sex with anyone who is not our own wife or husband. We must not do wrong things with our bodies. We must not quarrel. We must not be jealous of other people.
• 1 Corinthians 3:3You still do what your human nature wants to do. You are jealous of each other, and you quarrel with each other. Yes! This shows that you do what your human nature wants to do. You live like people who do not know God.
• 2 Corinthians 12:20When I come there to visit you, I hope you will be living in a good way. But I am afraid that I will not see what I want to see. Then you will see that I am different from what you want me to be! I am afraid that you may be quarrelling. You may be jealous of each other. You may be very angry with each other. Some of you may just want to please yourselves. You may be insulting one another, or telling lies about one another. You may be proud of how good you are. You may be causing trouble for one another. Yes, I am afraid that all those things may be happening among you.
• Galatians 5:15So you must not live like wild animals. Wild animals fight and they eat each other. If you live like that, be very careful! You may destroy one another completely.
• Colossians 3:8But now you must refuse to do all kinds of things like that. Do not become angry with people or shout at them. Do not do anything or say anything that will hurt other people. Do not speak any bad or disgusting words.
• 1 Timothy 6:4People like that think that they are very clever. But they do not really understand anything. They like to argue about things which are not important. They like to quarrel about words. As a result, people become jealous of one another, and they become angry with each other. They insult other people and they think bad things about them.
• James 3:14But if you live in a bad way, do not think that you are wise. Are you jealous of other people so that you hate them? Do you want to make yourself important? If you live like that, do not say that you are great and wise. You are not saying what is true.
• James 4:5The Bible says, ‘God has caused his Spirit to live in us. He wants very much to keep us for himself.’ Do you think that is not true?
• 1 Peter 2:1So you must refuse to do any evil things. Do not tell lies to deceive people. Do not be hypocrites. Do not be jealous of other people. Do not say bad things against other people.
• Luke 14:7Jesus watched how people chose the best places to sit at the meal. So he told this story to those who were sitting there:
• Luke 18:14Jesus then said, ‘Let me tell you about these men when they went home. The man that took taxes from people was now right with God. But the Pharisee was still guilty. Some people lift themselves up to be important. But God will bring all of them down low. Other people are humble. God will lift up those people to a good place.’
• Romans 12:10Love each other truly like brothers and sisters. Be really happy to respect other Christians.
• 1 Corinthians 15:9Among all the apostles, I am the least important. I caused so much trouble for God's church that people should not really call me an apostle.

Commentaries on Philippians 2:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Let nothing be done through strife - Never be opposed to each other; never act from separate interests; ye are all brethren, and of one body; therefore let every member feel and labor for the welfare of the whole. And, in the exercise of your different functions, and in the use of your various gifts, do nothing so as to promote your own reputation, separately considered from the comfort, honor, and advantage of all. But in lowliness of mind - Have always…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Let nothing be done through strife - With a spirit of contention. This command forbids us to do anything, or attempt anything as the mere result of strife. This is not the principle from which we are to act, or by which we are to be governed. We are to form no plan, and aim at no object which is to be secured in this way. The command prohibits all attempts to secure anything over others by mere physical strength, or by superiority of intellect or numbers…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Do nothing out of selfish ambition: Thinking only about yourself is the opposite of truly caring for others (compare 2:20–21; 1 Corinthians 10:24; Galatians 5:26).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Let nothing be done--The italicized words are not in the Greek. Perhaps the ellipsis had better be supplied from the Greek (Php 2:2), "Thinking nothing in the way of strife" (or rather, "factious intrigue," "self-seeking," see on Php 1:16). It is the thought which characterizes the action as good or bad before God. lowliness of mind--The direct relation of this grace is to God alone; it is the sense of dependence of the creature on the Creator as such…Read the comment

Topics related to Philippians 2:3

• Commandments
• Humility
• Pride
• Respect
• Strife
• Unselfishness

In the dictionaries

• Apostle
• Companion
• Disputing
• Lowliness
• Nigh
• Presently
• Vainglory
• Esteem
• Fashion
• Hope

Commentaries on Philippians 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings