Philippians 2:15

“so that you may become blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”
Philippians 2:15 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

so thatἵναyou may becomeγένησθεblamelessἄμεμπτοιandκαὶinnocent,ἀκέραιοιchildrenτέκναof Godθεοῦwithout blemishἄμωμαin the midst ofμέσονa crookedσκολιᾶςandκαὶperverseδιεστραμμένηςgeneration,γενεᾶςamongἐνwhomοἷςyou shineφαίνεσθεasὡςlightsφωστῆρεςinἐνthe world,κόσμῳ

Allusion · Deuteronomy 32:5

Go to Deuteronomy 32:5

Both texts speak of the children of God and of their “blemish” in the midst of a “crooked and perverse generation”; in Deuteronomy 32:5 the children are the corrupt ones.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

γενεᾶςgeneasG1074דּוֹרdorH1755“generation”
σκολιᾶςskoliasG4646עִקֵּשׁikeshH6141“crooked, perverse”
διεστραμμένηςdiestrammenēsG1294פְתַלְתֹּלfetaltolH6618“pervert”
ἄμωμαamōmaG299מוּמָmumaH3971“without blemish, without defect”

Philippians 2:15, word by word

you may becomeγένησθεgenēsthe

become

To turn into something new, different from before.

Where else “genēsthe” appears

blamelessἄμεμπτοιamemptoi

blameless

Blameless, free from fault.

Where else “amemptoi” appears

innocentἀκέραιοιakeraioi

innocent, pure

Innocent, pure, unmixed with evil.

Where else “akeraioi” appears

childrenτέκναtekna

child

Someone born of parents, or of a family or people.

Where else “tekna” appears

of Godθεοῦtheou

God

The Creator and Lord of all, the one God of Israel.

Where else “theou” appears

without blemishἄμωμαamōma

blameless, without blemish

Without blemish, without defect, like an animal fit to be offered to God; blameless.

Where else “amōma” appears

in the midst ofμέσονmeson

middle

Middle, in the midst.

Where else “meson” appears

a crookedσκολιᾶςskolias

perverse

Twisted, unkind; severe.

Where else “skolias” appears

perverseδιεστραμμένηςdiestrammenēs

distort, pervert

Distort, twist, pervert; "perverse".

Where else “diestrammenēs” appears

generationγενεᾶςgeneas

generation

Generation: the people born around the same time, or each step from parent to child in a family.

Where else “geneas” appears

you shineφαίνεσθεphainesthe

shine

To give light, shine.

Where else “phainesthe” appears

lightsφωστῆρεςphōstēres

light

A heavenly body that shines, like the sun or stars.

Where else “phōstēres” appears

the worldκόσμῳkosmōi

world of people

People everywhere, whom God loves.

Where else “kosmōi” appears

Translation note

“Crooked and perverse generation” recalls Deuteronomy 32:5.

The context

14Do all things without grumbling and arguing,

15 · This verse (above)

16holding forth the word of life, for a boast to me on the day of the Messiah, that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.

Read all of Philippians 2

To study Philippians 2 in a group

1. What it says
What attitude does Paul ask for in verses 3 and 4, and what example does the Messiah give (v. 5-8)?
2. What it means
Why do you think Paul links the Messiah's humility with his exaltation (v. 6-11)? What does that teach?
3. How I live it
Paul asks that everything be done without grumbling or arguing (v. 14). Where in your day could you try that?

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