but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
Parallel translations
- KJV But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
- BSB but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
- NKJV but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
- NASB but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men.
- NLT Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,
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
Instead He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant and being made like men. The Son humbled Himself by becoming human.
Overview
The "emptying" does not mean Christ ceased to be God but that He took on the lowliness of human nature and servanthood. He genuinely became man, adding humanity rather than subtracting deity. This voluntary self-lowering is the climax of divine humility for our sake.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 30
- 2 Cor 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.
- Matt 20:28even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
- John 1:14The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Rom 8:3For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;
- Isa 53:2–3For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
- Gal 4:4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
- Rom 15:3For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”
- Heb 4:15For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.
- Isa 53:11After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities.
- Mark 10:44–45Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be bondservant of all.
- Heb 12:2looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Luke 22:27For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn’t it he who sits at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
- Isa 50:5–6The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious. I have not turned back.
- Phil 2:6who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,
- Isa 52:13–14Behold, my servant will deal wisely. He will be exalted and lifted up, and will be very high.
- Heb 2:9–18But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.
- Isa 42:1“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights — I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.
- Rom 15:8Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,
- Zech 9:9Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
- Ps 22:6But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
- John 13:3–14Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and was going to God,
- Mark 9:12He said to them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and restores all things. How is it written about the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised?
- Matt 12:18“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
- Isa 49:6–7Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”
- Rom 1:3concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh,
- Heb 13:3Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them; and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body.
- Ezek 34:23–24I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
- Dan 9:26After the sixty-two weeks the Anointed One shall be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and its end shall be with a flood, and even to the end shall be war; desolations are determined.
- Zech 3:8Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you; for they are men who are a sign: for, behold, I will bring out my servant, the Branch.
- Isa 49:3He said to me, “You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 2:7 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.
How traditions read this
What Christ set aside in becoming man.
In becoming man the Son did not give up any divine attribute; he "emptied himself" by veiling his glory and refusing to wield his powers independently of the Father. Deity was fully present but restrained.
Key points · No attribute surrendered; glory veiled; powers used only as the Father willed.
Hilary of Poitiers; John Calvin; William Lane Craig
The Son actually set aside the independent exercise of certain non-essential divine prerogatives (such as omnipresence or independent omniscience) for the span of his earthly ministry, without ceasing to be God. The stronger form — that he gave up deity itself — is rejected by all sides as incompatible with biblical theism.
Key points · Non-essential attributes laid aside in the incarnation; full deity retained; "strong" kenoticism rejected.
Gottfried Thomasius; Stephen Davis; C. Stephen Evans · St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology
Each view is stated as that tradition would put it, with representative sources. Limitless Word presents them side by side and endorses none — see the methodology.