Philippians 2:12-13

The context

Philippians 2 follows the great hymn of verses 6 to 11, which ends with every knee bowing. Paul then addresses the congregation he had planted, writing from prison. He notes that they obeyed when he was present and asks for the same obedience now that he is absent, and the phrase about fear and trembling echoes Israel at Sinai.

What it establishes

The verses hold two claims together: the Philippians are to work out their salvation, and God is at work in them for both willing and doing. The participle is the ground of the imperative, not a second condition. Effort and grace are not set against each other here.

What it does not establish

It does not settle the later dispute about grace and effort. The verse does not define what working out involves beyond the obedience already named, and it does not say whether the willing is coerced or free. It states both sides of the tension without resolving them.

Short note, first pass, October 2026. Corrections welcome.

Cited in these answers

• According to 2 Timothy 2:25, it is GOD who grants repentance. Yet, somehow, it is WE who are held responsible for our fate?

Part of Scripture, Opened — the exegetical layer behind every citation on this site. Scripture quotations are from the ESV.