God’s Word Translation
Philippians 3:21
21Through his power to bring everything under his authority, he will change our humble bodies and make them like his glorified body.
Philippians 3:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
- New International Version (NIV)who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
- English Standard Version (ESV)who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
- New King James Version (NKJV)who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Context of Philippians 3:21
19In the end they will be destroyed. Their own emotions are their god, and they take pride in the shameful things they do. Their minds are set on worldly things. 20We, however, are citizens of heaven. We look forward to the Lord Jesus Christ coming from heaven as our Savior. Through his power to bring everything under his authority, he will change our humble bodies and make them like his glorified body.
Read all of Philippians 3Philippians 3:21 word by word
ὃς μετασχηματίσει τὸ σῶμα τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν σύμμορφον τῷ σώματι τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τοῦ δύνασθαι αὐτὸν καὶ ὑποτάξαι αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- shall changeμετασχηματίζωmetaschēmatizō · to transformG3345
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- vileὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- vileταπείνωσιςtapeinōsis · lowlinessG5014
- bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
- thatεἰςeis · towardG1519
- itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- may beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- fashioned like untoσύμμορφοςsummorphos · conformedG4832
- gloriousδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
- according toκατάkata · according toG2596
- the workingἐνέργειαenergeia · active energyG1753
- is ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- evenκαίkai · andG2532
- to subdueὑποτάσσωhupotassō · to subjectG5293
- all thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
- unto himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
Cross-references for Philippians 3:21
- 1 Corinthians 15:42That is how it will be when the dead come back to life. When the body is planted, it decays. When it comes back to life, it cannot decay.
- Matthew 17:2Jesus’ appearance changed in front of them. His face became as bright as the sun and his clothes as white as light.
- Colossians 3:4Christ is your life. When he appears, then you, too, will appear with him in glory.
- 1 John 3:2Dear friends, now we are God’s children. What we will be isn’t completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is.
- Revelation 1:13There was someone like the Son of Man among the lamp stands. He was wearing a robe that reached his feet. He wore a gold belt around his waist.
- Isaiah 25:8He will swallow up death forever. The Almighty Lord will wipe away tears from every face, and he will remove the disgrace of his people from the whole earth. The Lord has spoken.
- Isaiah 26:19Your dead will live. Their corpses will rise. Those who lie dead in the dust will wake up and shout for joy, because your dew is a refreshing dew, and the earth will revive the spirits of the dead.
- Hosea 13:14“I want to free them from the power of the grave. I want to reclaim them from death. Death, I want to be a plague to you. Grave, I want to destroy you. I won’t even think of changing my plans.”
- Matthew 22:29Jesus answered, “You’re mistaken because you don’t know the Scriptures or God’s power.
- Matthew 28:18When Jesus came near, he spoke to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
- John 5:25“I can guarantee this truth: A time is coming (and is now here) when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who respond to it will live.
- John 11:24Martha answered Jesus, “I know that he’ll come back to life on the last day, when everyone will come back to life.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:25Christ must rule until God has put every enemy under his control.
- Ephesians 1:19You will also know the unlimited greatness of his power as it works with might and strength for us, the believers.
- Revelation 1:8“I am the A and the Z,” says the Lord God, the one who is, the one who was, and the one who is coming, the Almighty.
- Revelation 20:11I saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, but no place was found for them.
Commentaries on Philippians 3:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Who shall change our vile body - ̔ ̔· Who will refashion, or alter the fashion and condition of, the body of our humiliation; this body that is dead - adjudged to death because of sin, and must be putrefied, dissolved, and decomposed. That it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body - ͅ · That it may bear a similar form to the body of his glory. That is: the bodies of true believers shall be raised up at the great day in the same likeness…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Who shall change our vile body - compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 15:44); and it is doubtless accompanied with all the circumstances of splendor and glory which are appropriate to the Son of God. The idea here is, that it is the object of the desire and anticipation of the Christian, to be made just like Christ in all things. He desires to resemble him in moral character here, and to be like him in heaven. Nothing else will satisfy him but such…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-21Verses 12-21 This simple dependence and earnestness of soul, were not mentioned as if the apostle had gained the prize, or were already made perfect in the Saviour's likeness. He forgot the things which were behind, so as not to be content with past labours or present measures of grace. He reached forth, stretched himself forward towards his point; expressions showing great concern to become more and more like unto Christ. He who runs a race, must never…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body: When Jesus returns, he will transform believers' physical bodies. Instead of weak, aging bodies that die, they will have perfect, eternal bodies (see 1 Corinthians 15:42–54; compare Romans 8:23). enables Him to subject all things to Himself: This means that Jesus will have complete authority over all things. Everything in creation will be subject to his rule (see 1 Corinthians 15:24–27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Greek, "Who shall transfigure the body of our humiliation (namely, in which our humiliation has place, 2Co 4:10; Ep 2:19; 2Ti 2:12), that it may be conformed unto the body of His glory (namely, in which His glory is manifested), according to the effectual working whereby," &c. Not only shall He come as our "Saviour," but also as our Glorifier. even--not only to make the body like His own, but "to subdue all things," even death itself, as well as Satan…Read the comment
Topics related to Philippians 3:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Philippians 3
- 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
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