Philippians 2:3

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Μηδὲν κατὰ ἐριθείαν ἢ κενοδοξίαν· ἀλλὰ τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν.

Transliteration

Nothing kata eritheian or kenodoxian; but in the tapeinophrosynē one another hēgoumenoi hyperechontas of yourselves.

Grammar Details

• *kata*: preposition + accusative - according to/by way of
• *eritheian*: accusative, feminine, singular - selfish ambition/strife/contention
• *kenodoxian*: accusative, feminine, singular - vainglory/empty pride/conceit
• *tapeinophrosynē*: dative, feminine, singular - humility/lowliness of mind
• *hēgoumenoi*: present participle, nominative, masculine, plural - considering/esteeming
• *hyperechontas*: present participle, accusative, masculine, plural - excelling/surpassing/superior to

Word Meanings

• *eritheian*: selfish ambition/strife/rivalry/contention
• *kenodoxian*: vainglory/empty pride/conceit/vanity
• *tapeinophrosynē*: humility/lowliness of mind/modesty
• *hēgoumenoi*: considering/esteeming/regarding/counting
• *hyperechontas*: excelling/surpassing/better than/superior to

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Let nothing be done through strife or vanity; but in humility let each consider others better than themselves.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  [ doing] nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind {G2233} each counting other better than himself;

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  that nothinge be done thorow stryfe or vayne glory but that in mekenes of mynde every man esteme other better then him selfe

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  that there be nothinge done thorow stryfe and vayne glory, but that thorow mekenesse of mynde euery man esteme another better then himselfe:

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  That nothing be done through contention or vaine glory, but that in meekenesse of minde euery man esteeme other better then himselfe.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Let nothyng be done through stryfe or vayne glorie, but in mekenesse of mynde euery man esteeme one ye other better then hym selfe.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  nothing in rivalry or vain-glory, but in humility of mind one another counting more excellent than yourselves --

• American Standard Version (1901)

  `doing' nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  [ doing] nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Doing nothing through envy or through pride, but with low thoughts of self let everyone take others to be better than himself;

• World English Bible (2000)

  doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.

Referenced Verses

• Rom 12:10 : 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
• Eph 4:2 : 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
• Eph 5:21 : 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
• Gal 5:26 : 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
• 1 Pet 5:5 : 5 In the same way, you younger ones, submit yourselves to the elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
• 1 Tim 6:4 : 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and arguments about words, which result in envy, strife, slander, and evil suspicions.
• Jas 3:14-16 : 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast and deny the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.
• Gal 5:15 : 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.
• Luke 18:14 : 14 'I tell you that this man went home justified before God rather than the other. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'
• Col 3:8 : 8 But now you must put away all these: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.
• 1 Cor 3:3 : 3 For you are still worldly. Since there is jealousy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not worldly and living like mere humans?
• Prov 13:10 : 10 Where there is pride, there is strife, but wisdom is found in those who take counsel.
• Jas 4:5-6 : 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit God caused to dwell in us longs jealously for us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'
• 1 Pet 2:1-2 : 1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and every kind of slander. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk so that by it you may grow in your salvation,
• Phil 1:15-17 : 15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
• Phil 2:14 : 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing,
• Luke 14:7-9 : 7 When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them this parable: 8 'When you are invited to a wedding feast, do not sit in the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by the host.' 9 'Then the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ And humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.' 10 'But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.' 11 'For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.'
• 1 Cor 15:9 : 9 For I am the least of the apostles, not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• 2 Cor 12:20 : 20 For I fear that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be strife, jealousy, anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
• Gal 5:20-21 : 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
• Rom 13:13 : 13 Let us walk properly, as in the daytime, not in revelries and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.