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Philippians 2:15

so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
Philippians 2:15 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
  • KJV That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
  • BSB so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
  • NKJV that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
  • NASB so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

So that they may be blameless children of God shining as lights in a crooked world. Holy living makes believers visible witnesses.

Overview

Free from grumbling, believers become blameless and pure, distinct from the corrupt generation around them. Like lights in the darkness, they reflect God's character to the world. Their conduct itself becomes a testimony, echoing language once used of Israel.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 36

  • Matt 5:14–16You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.
  • 1 Pet 2:12having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.
  • Matt 5:45that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
  • Isa 60:1“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and Yahweh’s glory has risen on you.
  • 1 Jn 3:1–3See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.
  • Deut 32:5They have dealt corruptly with him. They are not his children, because of their defect. They are a perverse and crooked generation.
  • 1 Th 5:23May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • 1 Pet 1:14–17as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
  • 2 Pet 3:14Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without defect and blameless in his sight.
  • 1 Cor 1:8who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Matt 5:48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
  • Eph 5:7–8Therefore don’t be partakers with them.
  • Eph 5:1–2Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.
  • 1 Pet 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
  • Titus 2:10not stealing, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, in all things.
  • Matt 10:16“Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
  • Rom 16:19For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil.
  • 1 Tim 3:10Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.
  • Acts 2:40With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
  • Matt 17:17Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.”
  • Titus 2:15Say these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no man despise you.
  • Heb 7:26For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
  • Phil 1:10so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ;
  • 1 Tim 3:2The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;
  • Luke 6:35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.
  • Eph 5:27that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.
  • Ps 122:5For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of David’s house.
  • John 5:35He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
  • 2 Cor 6:17Therefore “‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you.
  • Acts 20:30Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
  • Luke 1:6They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
  • 1 Tim 5:20Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.
  • Titus 1:6if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior.
  • 1 Tim 5:14I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for insulting.
  • 1 Tim 5:7Also command these things, that they may be without reproach.
  • Rev 3:9Behold, I give some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (10)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Philippians videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Philippians 2:15YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PhilippiansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The one who, being in the form of God, emptied himself to the point of death on a cross and was exalted to the name above every name — the joy and prize of the believer.

How Philippians 2:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.