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Bible chapter guide
Philippians 2
'Have this mind among yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus', who emptied himself, took the form of a servant, and became obedient to death on a cross; therefore God highly exalted him. Paul commends Timothy and Epaphroditus, who nearly died serving him.
Summary written for the Labs; read the chapter itself for the full text.
See it in the Labs
- Paul's RoadsEpaphroditus · Paul's RoadsOpen
- Paul's RoadsRome: release? (Later (debated)) · Paul's RoadsOpen
- Paul's RoadsMacedonia (Later (debated)) · Paul's RoadsOpen
- Paul's RoadsTimothy · Paul's RoadsOpen
- Paul's RoadsPhilippians · Paul's RoadsOpen
People in this chapter
Also in this chapter
The letter: who wrote it, where and when
These questions are debated; the views are shown side by side with how sure each is, as in Paul's Roads.
- Textually stated
Philippians was written from prison, but which prison is debated.
Paul writes in chains (1:7, 13). Rome is the traditional answer; Ephesus and Caesarea are serious alternatives. The lab sets the three side by side.
- Plausible
Philippians written from Rome
The traditional view: Acts 28:30–31 has Paul two years under guard in Rome, free to receive visitors, and the letters mention Caesar's household and the praetorian guard (Philippians 1:13; 4:22).
- Plausible
Philippians written from Ephesus
Paul speaks of many imprisonments and of deadly peril in Asia (2 Corinthians 1:8; 11:23), and Ephesus lies close to Colossae and Philippi for the many journeys the letters assume; but Acts records no imprisonment at Ephesus.
- Plausible
Philippians written from Caesarea
Paul was held two years at Caesarea (Acts 24:27) with friends allowed to visit him (24:23); a minority reading places some prison letters there.
How sure can we be?
- Textually stated
Epaphroditus nearly died while serving Paul in prison.
Philippians 2:26–27, 30: he was sick nearly to death for the work of Christ, and Paul sends him back to Philippi.