Philippians 2:16

Philippians 2:16

Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

a. NLT: Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.

b. NIV: As you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

c. YLT: The word of life holding forth, for rejoicing to me in regard to a day of Christ, that not in vain did I run, nor in vain did I labour;

d. Amplified Bible Classic:  Holding out [to it] and offering [to all men] the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in that I did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose.

e. Worrell Translation: Holding forth the word of life, for an occasion of glorying to me at the day of Christ, that I ran not in vain, neither labored in vain.

f. Wuest Translation: holding forth the word of life, to the end that I may have a ground for glorying reserved for the day of Christ, this glorying being because of the fact that I did not run in vain nor did I labor to the point of exhaustion in vain.

1. “Holding forth the word of life;”

a. holding forth [Strong: 1907 epecho ep-ekh'-o from 1909 and 2192; to hold upon, i.e. (by implication) to retain; (by extension) to detain; (with implication, of 3563) to pay attention to:--give (take) heed unto, hold forth, mark, stay.] [Zodhiates: To have or hold upon, to hold out towards, to direct upon.] [Vincent: In classical Greek, “to hold out, present, as to offer to a guest.”]

b. the word [Strong: 3056 logos log'-os from 3004; something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):--account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.]

c. of life [Strong: 2222 zoe dzo-ay' from 2198; life (literally or figuratively):--life(-time).]

1). In light of the Greek, the passage says that as we are being obedient to the word, we at the same time are offering the light of the gospel to those around us. Holding forth the word of life to those around me.

2). Institute Of Creation Research Daily Devotional 8/31/11 The Bible is always the best commentary on itself--especially when the word or phrase is not frequent. In this case, "the word of life" is only used twice and might be "interpreted" in various ways without this qualifier: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life" (1 John 1:1). In the context of Philippians 2, the emphasis is obviously on the person and work of our Lord Jesus. We who bear His name are His "sons" and are charged with the responsibility of being "lights" (Philippians 2:15) to a world that is steeped in darkness. The light that we shine is the word of life--and that is, according to the Scriptures, the person and work of Jesus Christ. Thus, the word of life must certainly involve who Christ is (Creator, Lord, Incarnate Word, King) as well as the "glorious gospel" of salvation by grace (2 Corinthians 4:4). Charged with the responsibility of "holding forth the word of life," we are to be "the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthians 4:1). Thus, we should be well-versed in the written Word, since Jesus specifically said: "Search the scriptures . . . they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39). Ultimately, of course, our "light" comes from "The Light." Since we have been delivered "from the power of darkness" (Colossians 1:13) by our Lord's substitutionary atonement, we who "were sometimes darkness" are now "light in the Lord: walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). HMM III

2. “…that I may rejoice in the day of Christ…”

a. that [Strong: 3754 hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

b. I [Strong: 1698 emoi em-oy' a prolonged form of 3427; to me:--I, me, mine, my.]

c. may rejoice [Strong: 2745 kauchema kow'-khay-mah from 2744; a boast (properly, the object; by implication, the act) in a good or a bad sense:--boasting, (whereof) to glory (of), glorying, rejoice(-ing).]

d. in [Strong: 1519 eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

e. [the] day 2250 hemera hay-mer'-ah feminine (with 5610 implied) of a derivative of hemai (to sit; akin to the base of 1476) meaning tame, i.e. gentle; day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context):--age, + alway, (mid-)day (by day, (-ly)), + for ever, judgment, (day) time, while, years.]

f. of Christ [Strong: 5547 Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]

1). The “day of Christ” brings us back to the Judgment seat of Christ.

3. “…that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”

a. that [Strong: 3754 hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

b. I have…run [Strong: 5143 trecho trekh'-o apparently a primary verb (properly, threcho; compare 2359); which uses dremo drem'-o (the base of 1408) as alternate in certain tenses; to run or walk hastily (literally or figuratively):--have course, run.]

c. not [Strong: 3756 ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

d. in [Strong: 1519 eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

e. vain [Strong: 2756 kenos ken-os' apparently a primary word; empty (literally or figuratively):--empty, (in) vain.]

f. neither [Strong: 3761 oude oo-deh' from 3756 and 1161; not however, i.e. neither, nor, not even:--neither (indeed), never, no (more, nor, not), nor (yet), (also, even, then) not (even, so much as), + nothing, so much as.]

g. labored [Strong: 2872 kopiao kop-ee-ah'-o from a derivative of 2873; to feel fatigue; by implication, to work hard:--(bestow) labour, toil, be wearied.]

h. in [Strong: 1519 eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

i. vain [Strong: 2756 kenos ken-os' apparently a primary word; empty (literally or figuratively):--empty, (in) vain.]