God’s Word Translation
Philippians 2:12
12My dear friends, you have always obeyed, not only when I was with you but even more now that I’m absent. In the same way continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Philippians 2:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
- New International Version (NIV)Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
Context of Philippians 2:12
10so that at the name of Jesus everyone in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will kneel 11and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. My dear friends, you have always obeyed, not only when I was with you but even more now that I’m absent. In the same way continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him. 14Do everything without complaining or arguing.
Read all of Philippians 2Philippians 2:12 word by word
Ὥστε, ἀγαπητοί μου, καθὼς πάντοτε ὑπηκούσατε, μὴ ὡς ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ μου μόνον ἀλλὰ νῦν πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐν τῇ ἀπουσίᾳ μου, μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου τὴν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν κατεργάζεσθε·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whereforeὥστεhōste · soG5620
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
- asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- ye haveὑπακούωhupakouō · to obeyG5219
- alwaysπάντοτεpantote · alwaysG3842
- notμήmē · notG3361
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- presenceὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- presenceπαρουσίαparousia · comingG3952
- onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
- muchπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
- moreμᾶλλονmallon · moreG3123
- absenceἀπουσίαapousia · absenceG666
- work outκατεργάζομαιkatergazomai · to workout/produceG2716
- your ownἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- salvationσωτηρίαsōtēria · salvationG4991
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- fearφόβοςphobos · fearG5401
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- tremblingτρόμοςtromos · tremblingG5156
Cross-references for Philippians 2:12
- Philippians 4:1So, brothers and sisters, I love you and miss you. You are my joy and my crown. Therefore, dear friends, keep your relationship with the Lord firm!
- 1 Corinthians 4:14I’m not writing this to make you feel ashamed but to instruct you as my dear children.
- 1 Peter 2:11Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents ⌞in the world⌟, I’m encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you.
- Philippians 1:5I can do this because of the partnership we’ve had with you in the Good News from the first day ⌞you believed⌟ until now.
- Philippians 3:13Brothers and sisters, I can’t consider myself a winner yet. This is what I do: I don’t look back, I lengthen my stride, and
- Proverbs 10:16A righteous person’s reward is life. A wicked person’s harvest is sin.
- Proverbs 13:4A lazy person craves food and there is none, but the appetite of hard-working people is satisfied.
- Matthew 11:12From the time of John the Baptizer until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful people have been seizing it.
- Luke 13:23Someone asked him, “Sir, are only a few people going to be saved?” He answered,
- John 6:27Don’t work for food that spoils. Instead, work for the food that lasts into eternal life. This is the food the Son of Man will give you. After all, the Father has placed his seal of approval on him.”
- Romans 2:7He will give everlasting life to those who search for glory, honor, and immortality by persisting in doing what is good. But he will bring
- 1 Corinthians 9:24Don’t you realize that everyone who runs in a race runs to win, but only one runner gets the prize? Run like them, so that you can win.
- 1 Corinthians 15:58So, then, brothers and sisters, don’t let anyone move you off the foundation ⌞of your faith⌟. Always excel in the work you do for the Lord. You know that the hard work you do for the Lord is not pointless.
- Galatians 6:7Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3In the presence of our God and Father, we never forget that your faith is active, your love is working hard, and your confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ is enduring.
- Hebrews 4:11So we must make every effort to enter that place of rest. Then no one will be lost by following the example of those who refused to obey.
Commentaries on Philippians 2:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12As ye have always obeyed - Continue to act on the same principles and from the same motives; having the same disposition which was in Christ; laboring so as to promote his glory. Work out your own salvation - Go on, walking by the same rule, and minding the same thing, till your salvation be completed: till, filled with love to God and man, ye walk unblamably in all his testimonies, having your fruit unto holiness, and your end everlasting life. With fear…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed - The Philippians had from the beginning manifested a remarkable readiness to show respect to the apostle, and to listen to his teaching. This readiness he more than once refers to and commends. He still appeals to them, and urges them to follow his counsels, that they might secure their salvation. Now much more in my absence - Though they had been obedient when he was with them, yet circumstances had…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 We must be diligent in the use of all the means which lead to our salvation, persevering therein to the end. With great care, lest, with all our advantages, we should come short. Work out your salvation, for it is God who worketh in you. This encourages us to do our utmost, because our labour shall not be in vain: we must still depend on the grace of God. The working of God's grace in us, is to quicken and engage our endeavours. God's…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12as you have always obeyed (see John 3:36; Romans 1:5): Believers must consider God's judgment like everyone else (compare 1 Corinthians 3:10–13). Therefore, they should live obediently before God, with deep respect and fear.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Wherefore--Seeing that we have in Christ such a specimen of glory resulting from "obedience" (Php 2:8) and humiliation, see that ye also be "obedient," and so "your salvation" shall follow your obedience. as ye have ... obeyed--"even as ye have been obedient," namely, to God, as Jesus was "obedient" unto God (see on Php 2:8). not as, &c.--"not as if" it were a matter to be done "in my presence only, but now (as things are) much more (with more…Read the comment
Topics related to Philippians 2:12
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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