God’s Word Translation
Philippians 2:21
21Everyone else looks after his own interests, not after those of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
- New International Version (NIV)For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.
Context of Philippians 2:21
19I hope that the Lord Jesus will allow me to send Timothy to you soon so that I can receive some encouraging news about you. 20I don’t have anyone else like Timothy. He takes a genuine interest in your welfare. Everyone else looks after his own interests, not after those of Jesus Christ. 22But you know what kind of person Timothy proved to be. Like a father and son we worked hard together to spread the Good News. 23I hope to send him as soon as I see how things are going to turn out for me.
Read all of Philippians 2Philippians 2:21 word by word
οἱ πάντες γὰρ τὰ ἑαυτῶν ζητοῦσιν, οὐ τὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Philippians 2:21
- Philippians 2:4Don’t be concerned only about your own interests, but also be concerned about the interests of others.
- Isaiah 56:11These dogs have huge appetites. They are never full. They are the shepherds, but they don’t understand. All of them have turned to go their own ways. Each one seeks his own gain.
- Malachi 1:10“I wish one of you would shut the doors ⌞to my house⌟ so that you could not light fires on my altar for no reason. I’m not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Armies, “and I won’t accept your offerings.
- Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me.
- Luke 9:57As they were walking along the road, a man said to Jesus, “I’ll follow you wherever you go.”
- Luke 14:26“If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples.
- Acts 13:13Paul and his men took a ship from Paphos and arrived in Perga, a city in Pamphylia. John Mark deserted them there and went back to Jerusalem.
- Acts 15:38However, Paul didn’t think it was right to take a person like him along. John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to work.
- 1 Corinthians 10:24People should be concerned about others and not just about themselves.
- 1 Corinthians 13:5It isn’t rude. It doesn’t think about itself. It isn’t irritable. It doesn’t keep track of wrongs.
- 2 Timothy 1:15You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
- 2 Timothy 3:2People will be selfish and love money. They will brag, be arrogant, and use abusive language. They will curse their parents, show no gratitude, have no respect for what is holy,
- 2 Timothy 4:10Demas has abandoned me. He fell in love with this present world and went to the city of Thessalonica. Crescens went to the province of Galatia, and Titus went to the province of Dalmatia.
- Philippians 1:20I eagerly expect and hope that I will have nothing to be ashamed of. I will speak very boldly and honor Christ in my body, now as always, whether I live or die.
- 2 Corinthians 1:5Because Christ suffered so much for us, we can receive so much comfort from him.
- 2 Corinthians 5:14Clearly, Christ’s love guides us. We are convinced of the fact that one man has died for all people. Therefore, all people have died.
Commentaries on Philippians 2:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21For all seek their own - This must relate to the persons who preached Christ even of envy and strife, Philemon 1:15; these must be very careless whether souls were saved or not by such preaching; and even those who preached the Gospel out of good will might not be fit for such an embassy as this, which required many sacrifices, and consequently much love and zeal to be able to make them.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21For all seek their own - That is, all who are with me. Who Paul had with him at this time is not fully known, but he doubtless means that this remark should apply to the mass of Christians and Christian ministers then in Rome. Perhaps he had proposed to some of them to go and visit the church at Philippi, and they had declined it because of the distance and the dangers of the way. When the trial of Paul came on before the emperor, all who were with him in…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-30Verses 19-30 It is best with us, when our duty becomes natural to us. Naturally, that is, sincerely, and not in pretence only; with a willing heart and upright views. We are apt to prefer our own credit, ease, and safety, before truth, holiness, and duty; but Timothy did not so. Paul desired liberty, not that he might take pleasure, but that he might do good. Epaphroditus was willing to go to the Philippians, that he might be comforted with those who had…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-24Paul praises Timothy, whome he hopes to send to the Philippians in the near future. Timothy traveled with Paul on his first trip to Philippi (see Acts 16:1–3, 12; 17:15; 18:5; compare Acts 19:22). Timothy was known for dedicating his life to Jesus Christ and caring for others.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-301. The "therefore" implies that he is here expanding on the exhortation (Php 1:27), "In one Spirit, with one mind (soul)." He urges four influencing motives in this verse, to inculcate the four Christian duties corresponding respectively to them (Php 2:2). "That ye be like-minded, having the same love, of one accord, of one mind"; (1) "If there be (with you) any consolation in Christ," that is, any consolation of which Christ is the source, leading you to…Read the comment
Topics related to Philippians 2:21
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
Commentaries