rather, he made himself nothing(A)
    by taking the very nature[a] of a servant,(B)
    being made in human likeness.(C)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Philippians 2:7 Or the form

but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man].

Read full chapter

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[a];
    he took the humble position of a slave[b]
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,[c]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2:7a Greek he emptied himself.
  2. 2:7b Or the form of a slave.
  3. 2:7c Some English translations put this phrase in verse 8.

5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

Read full chapter

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Read full chapter