Philippians 2:13 kjv
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13 nkjv
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13 niv
for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Philippians 2:13 esv
for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13 nlt
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 2 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 26:12 | O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done all our works for us. | God is the ultimate worker of all good in us. |
| John 15:5 | I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him... apart from me you can do nothing. | Our ability to act for God stems from Him. |
| Rom 8:26-27 | ...the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. | The Spirit aligns our desires with God's. |
| 1 Cor 1:4 | ...the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, | God's grace initiates and sustains. |
| 1 Cor 15:10 | But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. | God's grace enables our hard work. |
| 2 Cor 3:5 | Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God. | God provides all necessary ability. |
| Eph 2:10 | For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. | God designs and prepares our good works. |
| Eph 3:20 | Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us... | God's power is actively at work internally. |
| Col 1:29 | For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. | God's energy empowers our struggle/work. |
| 1 Thess 5:24 | He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. | God will complete His work in believers. |
| Heb 13:20-21 | Now may the God of peace... equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ... | God equips and works what is pleasing. |
| Psa 37:4 | Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. | God influences our heart's desires. |
| Psa 119:36 | Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! | God guides our will and affections. |
| Jer 31:33 | ...I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. | God internalizes His law and prompts obedience. |
| Ezek 36:26-27 | I will give you a new heart... and put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes... | God changes hearts and causes obedience. |
| Psa 115:3 | Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. | God's sovereign will and purpose. |
| Prov 19:21 | Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. | God's purpose ultimately prevails. |
| Isa 46:10 | ...declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’ | God's ultimate plan is unthwartable. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. | All things serve God's overall purpose. |
| Eph 1:5, 11 | He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will... In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will... | God's plan is the guiding principle of all He does. |
| Rom 9:16 | So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. | God's sovereignty is key in salvation and growth. |
Philippians 2 verses
Philippians 2 13 Meaning
Philippians 2:13 reveals the profound truth that God is the ultimate source of spiritual growth and righteous living in believers. It states that God actively and continually works within His followers, shaping both their desires and their actions. This internal divine operation enables believers to align their will with His and empowers them to carry out His good purposes, ensuring that all truly good spiritual fruit is ultimately traceable to Him.
Philippians 2 13 Context
Philippians 2:13 provides the divine rationale and empowerment for the exhortation given in verse 12: "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." The conjunction "for" (γάρ) establishes this as the foundational truth that makes human effort possible and meaningful. Before this, Paul lays out the magnificent example of Christ's humility, self-emptying, and obedience (Phil 2:5-11), urging believers to adopt this same mindset. Therefore, God's inward working (v.13) enables and guides the outward manifestation of Christ-like humility and obedience (v.12), ensuring that believers' lives truly reflect the mind of Christ for His ultimate pleasure. Historically, this community was facing external pressure and internal potential for disunity, making the call for humble, God-enabled unity crucial.
Philippians 2 13 Word analysis
For (γάρ - gar): A causal conjunction. It links verse 13 to verse 12, explaining how believers are able to "work out their salvation." It's the reason or ground for the preceding command.
it is God (θεὸς γάρ ἐστιν - theos gar estin): The emphasis is on God as the singular and supreme agent. The placement underscores that God, and no other power or entity, is the initiator and energizer.
who works (ὁ ἐνεργῶν - ho energōn): Present active participle, meaning "the one working" or "the energizer." It signifies continuous, effective, powerful internal action. This is the root of our English word "energy." God is perpetually and actively producing spiritual power.
in you (ἐν ὑμῖν - en hymin): Indicates an internal, indwelling work. This isn't external manipulation, but a deep, intimate operation within the believer's inner being.
both to will (καὶ τὸ θέλειν - kai to thelein): An infinitive, referring to the inward desire, inclination, resolve, or purpose. God not only provides the ability but also the very desire to choose good, godly things. This highlights His deep involvement in our moral and spiritual motivations.
and to act/to work (καὶ τὸ ἐνεργεῖν - kai to energein): An infinitive, referring to the outward execution, performance, or accomplishment of the will. God provides the ability and the impetus to actually do what is willed. The Greek term energein here echoes energōn ("who works"), stressing that the very act of working is itself a product of God's internal work.
for His good purpose/pleasure (ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐδοκίας - hyper tēs eudokias): The ultimate goal and motivation behind God's work. Eudokia denotes good pleasure, gracious will, or benevolent purpose. It means God's sovereign, favorable intention. It ensures that the outcome always aligns with His perfect will and brings Him glory.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "it is God who works in you": Establishes divine agency and sovereignty as the source of all spiritual power. It grounds all Christian endeavor not in human strength but in God's continuous indwelling operation. This combats any idea of self-sufficiency.
- "both to will and to act/work": Highlights the comprehensiveness of God's internal work. He doesn't just enable our actions but also inspires and directs our innermost desires and intentions. Our deepest inclinations for good and our actual performance of it are rooted in His empowering grace.
- "for His good purpose/pleasure": Elevates God's will and glory as the ultimate objective. All that God initiates and enables within believers serves His perfect, sovereign plan, rather than solely human benefit or merit. This reminds us that spiritual formation is about God's agenda.
Philippians 2 13 Bonus section
This verse subtly implies the crucial role of the Holy Spirit, though not explicitly named. The "God who works in you" is universally understood in Christian theology as God the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who indwells believers, empowering them, convicting them, shaping their desires, and giving them the strength to live according to God's will. Thus, the passage speaks directly to the dynamic process of sanctification – how believers are made holy. Furthermore, the use of energein (to work/act) both for God's action and for the believer's empowered action suggests a profound mirroring or participation. The very "energy" (power) by which believers perform good works is an echo and outcome of the divine "energy" (work) within them, all leading back to God's pre-ordained and gracious will for their lives.
Philippians 2 13 Commentary
Philippians 2:13 is a pivotal theological statement that reconciles human responsibility ("work out your own salvation" in v.12) with divine sovereignty. It fundamentally teaches that God's people can live obedient, Christ-like lives not through mere self-effort or human striving, but because God Himself is powerfully and continually at work within them. This "energizing" power of God instigates both the desire (the willing) and the ability (the acting/working) to live righteously. It underscores that all genuine spiritual progress, every holy thought and deed, originates from His grace, operating from within for the ultimate fulfillment of His gracious and benevolent purposes. This prevents both a passive quietism (where human effort is deemed unnecessary) and an arrogant Pelagianism (where human effort is deemed sufficient apart from God). Instead, it fosters a dynamic cooperation, where believers earnestly strive precisely because God has equipped and energized them to do so, knowing that the ultimate credit belongs to Him. For instance, when believers pray, a divine will precedes and prompts that desire for prayer, and the Spirit empowers the prayer itself; when believers serve, the impulse to serve and the strength to execute that service comes from God's work within.