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Philippians 2 · a question people ask

"but emptied himself" (2:7). What does the letter say this means?

In the text

The letter doesn't explain it, and these notes don't either. Here are the letter's own words: "who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped," (2:6) "but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men." (2:7) "And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross." (2:8). These are the letter's own words, as it gives them, and these notes add nothing to them.

The verses

“who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.”
Philippians 2:6-8 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Philippians 2

Philippians 2: Have this in your mind

In 2:17-18 the WEB's glad and rejoice stand for two Greek verbs: glad is the one the WEB gives as rejoice in 2:28 and 4:4, and rejoice is another, which Strong's gives as "to sympathize in gladness". "I am glad and rejoice with you all." (2:17); "you also should be glad and rejoice with me." (2:18).

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Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions