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Home › Strong's Concordance › Strong's Greek Dictionary › G5012: ταπεινοφροσύνη (tapeinophrosýnē)

G5012 ταπεινοφροσύνη (tapeinophrosýnē)

Greek 📖 Greek Word Study
Noun, Feminine
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Quick Definition

ταπεινοφροσύνη, ης, ἡ n.f. humility

Strong's Definition

humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty

Derivation: from a compound of G5011 (ταπεινός) and the base of G5424 (φρήν);

KJV Usage: humbleness of mind, humility (of mind, loneliness (of mind)

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

ταπεινοφροσύνη (G5012)

noun, f. | -ης | ταπεινόω + φρονέω

88.53 · Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior · Humility

humble attitude, humility, without arrogance the quality of humility The rendering of ταπεινοφροσύνη in COL 2:18 as ‘false humility’ is justified in terms of the context, but there is nothing in the word ταπεινοφροσύνη itself which means ‘false.’ It would be possible to render ταπεινοφροσύνη in COL 2:18 as ‘subjection to,’ and one might render the entire expression as ‘in abject worship of angels.’ In other languages ‘false humility’ may be rendered as ‘just pretending to be humble’ or ‘appearing to be humble but really being proud.’

ACT 20:19 · EPH 4:2 · PHP 2:3 · COL 2:18 · COL 2:23 · COL 3:12 · 1PE 5:5

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

ταπεινοφροσύνη, -ης, 7, (ταπεινόφρων ; opp. to μεγαλοφροσύνη, ὑψηλοφροσύνη, [cf. W. 99 (94)]), the having a humble opinion of one’s self ; a deep sense of one’s (moral) littleness ; modesty, humility, lowliness of mind; (Vulg. humilitas, Luth. Demuth): Acts xx. 19; Eph. iv. 2; Phil. ii. 3; Col. iii. 12; 1 Pet. v. 5; used of an affected and ostentatious humility in Col. ii. 18, 23. (The word occurs neither in the O. T., nor in prof. auth. — [but in Joseph. Ὁ. j. 4, 9, 2 in the sense of pusillanimity ; also Epictet. diss. 8, 24, 56 in a bad sense. See Trench, N. T. Syn. § xlii.; Bp. Zghtft. on Phil.l.c.; Zezschwitz, Profangricitat, u.s.w., pp. 20, 62; W. 26].)

Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary

ταπεινοφροσύνη tapeinophrosynē 7x

lowliness or humility of mind, modesty, Acts 20:19; Eph. 4:2; Phil. 2:3; Col. 2:18, 23; 3:12; 1 Pet. 5:5*

Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon

*† ταπεινοφροσύνη, -ης, ἡ

(< ταπεινόφρων)

lowliness of mind, humility: Ac 20:19, Eph 4:2, Phl 2:3, Col 3:12, I Pe 5:5; of a false humility, Col 2:18, 23 (rare outside of NT, but found in bad sense in FlJ, BJ, iv, 9, 2; also in Epictet., v. Tr., Syn., § xlii).†

Trench — Synonyms of the New Testament

Tue work for which Christ’s Gospel came into the world was no less than to put down the mighty from their seat, and to exalt the humble and meek. It was then only in accordance with this its mission that it should dethrone the heathen virtue μεγαλοψυχία, and set up the despised Christian grace ταπεινοφροσύνη in its room, stripping that of the honour it had unjustly assumed, delivering this from the dishonour which as unjustly had clung to it hitherto ; and in this direction advancing so far that a Christian writer has called this last not merely a grace, but the casket or treasure-house in which all other graces are contained (γαζοφυλάκιον ἀρετῶν, Basil, Const. Mon. 16). And indeed not the grace only, but the very word ταπεινοφροσύνη is itself a fruit of the Gospel ; no Greek writer employed it before the Christian era, nor, apart from the influence of Christian writers, after. In the Septuagint ταπεινόφρων occurs but once (Prov. xxix. 23), and ταπεινοφρονεῖν as often (Ps. cxxx. 2); both words being used in honour. Plutarch too has advanced as far as ταπεινόφρων (De Alex. Virt. ii. 4), but employs it in an ill sense ; and the use by heathen writers of ταπεινός, ταπεινότης, and other words of this family, shows plainly how they would have employed ταπεινοφροσύνη, had they thought good to allow it. The instances are few and exceptional in which ταπεινός signifies anything for them which is not grovelling, slavish, and meanspirited. It keeps company with ἀνελεύθερος (Plato, Legg. vi. 774 c); with ἀνδραποδώδης (Eth. Hudem. iii. 8) ; with ἀγεννής (Lucian, De Calum. 24); with κατηφής (Plutarch, Fab. Maz. 18); with ἄδοξος (De Vit. Pud. 14); with δουλικός (Demosthenes, p. 1313) ; with δουλοπρεπής (Philo, Quod Omn. Prob. Lib. 4); with χαμαίζηλος (De Leg. Spec. 111. 1), and the like: just as the German ‘ Demuth,’ born as it was in the heathen period of the language, is properly and originally 140 SYNONYMS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT $x. ‘servilis animus,’—‘ deo’ (=servus) constituting the first syllable of it (Grimm, Worterbuch, 5. v.)—and only under the influences of Christianity attained to its present position of honour. Still those exceptional cases are more numerous than some will allow. Thus Plato in a very noticeable passage (Legg. iv. 716 a) links ταπεινός with κεκοσμημένος, as in Demosthenes we have λόγοι μέτριοι καὶ ταπεινοί; while Xenophon more than once sets the ταπεινός over against the ὑπερήφανος ; cf. Aischylus, Prom. Vinct. 828; Luke i. 51, 52; and see for its worthier use a noble passage in Plutarch, De Prof. Virt. 10; and another, De Serd Num. Vind. 8, where the purpose of the divine punishments is set forth as being that the soul may become σύννους καὶ ταπεινὴ, καὶ κατάφοβος πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Combined with these prophetic intimations of the honour which should one day be rendered even to the very words expressive of humility, it is very interesting to note that Aristotle himself has a vindication, and it only needs to receive its due extension to be a complete one, of the Christian ταπεινοφροσύνη (Ethic. Nic. iv. 8. 8; ef. Brandis, Avistoteles, p. 1408; and Nagelsbach, Homer. Theologie, p. 886). Having confessed how hard it is for a man τῇ ἀληθείᾳ μεγαλόψυχον efvor—for he will allow no μεγαλοψυχία, or great-souledness, which does not rest on corresponding realities of goodness and moral greatness, and his μεγαλόψυχος is one μεγάλων αὑτὸν ἀξιῶν, ἄξιος ὦν —he goes on to observe, though merely by the way and little conscious how far his words reached, that to think humbly of oneself, where that humble estimate ts the true one, cannot be imputed to any as a culpable meanness of spirit; it is rather the true σωφροσύνη (ὃ yap μικρῶν ἄξιος, καὶ τούτων ἀξιῶν ἑαυτόν, σώφρων). But if this be so (and who will deny it 9), then, seeing that for every man the humble estimate of himself is the true one, Aristotle has herein unconsciously vindicated ταπεινοφροσύνη as a grace in which every man ought to abound ; for that which he, even according to the standard which he set up, confessed to be a χαλεπόν, namely τῇ ἀληθείᾳ μεγαλόψυχον εἶναι, the Christian, convinced by the Spirit of God, and §xLu SYVONYMS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 141 having in his Lord a standard of perfect righteousness before his eyes, knows to be not merely a χαλεπόν, but an ἀδύνατον. Such is the Christian ταπεινοφροσύνη, no mere modesty or absence of pretension, which is all that the heathen would at the very best have found in it ; nor yet a self-made grace; and Chrysostom is in fact bringing in pride again under the disguise of humility, when he characterizes it as a making of ourselves small, when we are great (ταπεινοφροσύνη τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅταν TIS μέγας ὦν, ἑαυτὸν ταπεινοῖ : and he repeats this often ; see Suicer, Thes. s. v.). Far truer and deeper is St. Bernard’s definition : ‘ Est virtus qua quis ex verissimd sui cognitione sibi ipsi vilescit ;’ the esteeming of ourselves small, inasmuch as we are so; the thinking truly, and because truly, therefore lowlily, of ourselves. But it may be objected, how does this account of Christian ταπεινοφροσύνη, aS springing out of and resting on the sense of unworthiness, agree with the fact that the sinless Lord laid claim to this grace, and said, “I am meek and lowly in heart”’ (ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ, Matt. xi.29) ? The answer is, that for the simner ταπεινοφροσύνη involves the confession of sin, inasmuch as it involves the confession of his true condition; while yet for the unfallen creature the grace itself as truly exists, involving for such the acknowledgment not of sinfulness, which would be untrue, but of creatureliness, of absolute dependence, of having nothing, but receiving all things of God. And thus the grace of humility belongs to the highest angel before the throne, being as he is a creature, yea, even to the Lord of Glory Himself. In his human nature He must be the pattern of all humility, of all creaturely dependence ; and it is only as a man that Christ thus claims to be ταπεινός : his human life was a constant living on the fulness of his Father’s love ; He evermore, as man, took the place which beseemed the creature in the presence of its Creator. The Gospel of Christ did not rehabilitate πραότης so entirely as it had done ταπεινοφροσύνη, but this, because the word did not need rehabilitation to the same extent. IIpadrys did not require to be transformed from a bad sense 142 SYNONYMS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ὃ xin to a good, but only to be lifted up from a lower level of good to'a higher. This indeed it did need; for no one can read _ Aristotle’s portraiture of the πρᾶος and of πραότης (Ethic. Nic. iv. 5), mentally comparing the heathen virtue with the Christian grace, and not feel that Revelation has given to these words a depth, a richness, a fulness of significance which they were very far from possessing before. The great moralist of Greece set πραότης as the μεσότης περὶ ὀργῆς, between the two extremes, ὀργιλότης and ἀοργησία, with, however, so much leaning to the latter that it might very easily run into this defect ; and he finds it worthy of praise, more because by it a man retains his own equanimity and composure (the word is associated by Plutarch with μετριοπάθεια, De Frat. Am. 18; with ἀχολία, Cons. ad Uxor. 2; with ἀνεξικακία, De Cap. ex In. Util. 9; with μεγαλοπάθεια, De Ser. Num. Vind. 5; with εὐπείθεια Comp. Num. et Lye. 8; with εὐκολία, De Virt. et Vit. 1), than for any nobler reason. Neither does Plutarch’s own graceful little essay, Περὶ ἀοργησίας, rise anywhere to a loftier pitch than this, though we might have looked for something higher from him. IIpadrns is opposed by Plato to ἀγριότης (Symp. 197 d); by Aristotle to χαλεπότης (Hist. Anim. ix. 1; ef. Plato, Rep. vi. 472 f); by Plutarch or some other under his name, to ἀποτομία (De Lib. Ed. 18); all indications of a somewhat superficial meaning by them attached to the word. Those modern expositors who will not allow for the new forces at work in sacred Greek, who would fain restrict, for instance, the πραότης of the N. T. to that sense which the word, as employed by the best classical writers, would have borne, deprive themselves and as many as accept their interpretation of much of the deeper teaching in Scripture:' on 1 They will do this, even though they stop short of lengths to which Fritsche, a very learned but unconsecrated modern expositor of the Romans, has reached; who, on Rom. i. 7, writes: ‘Deinde considerandum est formula χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη in N. T. nihil aliud dici nisi quod Greei illo suo χαίρειν 5. εὖ πράττειν enuntiare consueverint, ἢ. 6. ut aliquis fortunatus sit, sive, ut cum Horatio loquar, Hp. i. 8. 1, ut gaudeat et bene rem gerat.’ ὁ χε SYVONYMS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 143 which subject, and with reference to this very word, there are some excellent observations by F. Spanheim, Dubia Evangelica, vol. 111. p. 398; by Rambach, Inst. Herm. Sac. p. 169;' cf. also, passim, the lecture or little treatise by Zezschwitz, Profangrdcitét und Biblischer Sprachgeist, from which I have already given (p. 1) an interesting extract ; and the article, Hellenistisches Idiom, by Reuss in Herzog’s Real-Encyclopddie. The Scriptural πραότης is not in a man’s outward behaviour only; nor yet in his relations to his fellow-men ; as little in his mere natural disposition. Rather is it an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercises of it are-first and chiefly towards God (Matt. xi. 29; Jam. i. 21). It 15 that temper of spirit in which we accept his dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting; and it is closely linked with the ταπεινοφροσύνη, and follows directly upon it (Ephes. iv. 2; Col. iii. 12; cf. Zeph. iii. 12); because it is only the humble heart which is also the meek; and which, as such, does not fight against God, and more or less struggle and contend with Him. This meekness, however, being first of all a meekness before God, is also such in the face of men, even of evil men, out of a sense that these, with the insults and injuries which they may inflict, are permitted and employed by Him for the chastening and purifying of his elect. This was the root of David’s πραότης, when Shimei cursed and flung stones at him -—the consideration, namely, that the Lord had bidden him (2 Sam. xvi. 11), that it was just for him to suffer these things, however unjustly the other might inflict them ; and out of like convictions all true Christian πραότης must spring. He that is meek indeed will know himself a sinner among sinners ;—or, if there was One who could not know Himself such, yet He too bore a sinner’s doom, and endured therefore the contradiction of sinners (Luke xxiii. 35, 86; John xviii. 1 He concludes, ‘ Unde dignus esset reprehensione qui graciles illas et exiles notiones quas pagani de virtutibus habuerunt Christianarum virtutum nominibus subjiceret.’ 144 SYNONYMS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT §xum 22, 28) ;—and this knowledge of his own sin will teach him to endure meekly the provocations with which they may provoke him, and not to withdraw himself from the burdens which their sin may impose upon him (Gal. vi. 1; 2 Tim. ii. 25; Tit. iii. 2). IIpadrys, then, or meekness, if more than mere gentleness of manner, if indeed the Christian grace of meekness of spirit, must rest on deeper foundations than its own, on those namely which ταπεινοφροσύνη has laid for it, and can only subsist while it continues to rest on these. It is a grace in advance of ταπεινοφροσύνη, not as more precious than it, but as presupposing it, and as being unable to exist without it.

Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon

ταπεινοφροσύνη (tapeinophrosunē) — humility. τᾰπεινο-φροσύνη, ἡ, humility, [NT]; mean-spiritedness, [Refs 1st c.AD+]

STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon

ταπεινοφροσύνη, -ης, ἡ (ταπεινόφρων) lowliness of mind, humility: Act.20:19, Eph.4:2, Php.2:3, Col.3:12, 1Pe.5:5; of a false humility, Col.2:18, 23 (rare outside of NT, but found in bad sense in FlJ, BJ, iv, 9, 2; also in Epictet., see Tr., Syn., § xlii).† (AS)

Bible Occurrences (8)

20:19
4:2
2:3
2:18 2:23 3:12
3:8 5:5

📖 Greek Word Study — In-Depth Study from Precept Austin

Humility of mind (5012) tapeinophrosune

Humility of mind (5012) (tapeinophrosune from tapeinos = low lying, then low or humble + phren = to think) literally means to think or judge with lowliness and thus speaks of humiliation of mind, lowliness of mind, lowly thinking, the quality of unpretentious behavior, a humble attitude, modesty (modesty = unassuming in the estimation of one’s abilities) or without arrogance. The word indicates the esteeming one's self as small or recognizing one’s insufficiency but at the same time recognizing the powerful sufficiency of God! John Wesley observed that “neither the Romans nor the Greeks had a word for humility.” The very concept was so foreign and abhorrent to their way of thinking that they had no term to describe it. When, during the first several centuries of Christianity, pagan writers borrowed the term tapeinophrosune, they always used it derogatorily—frequently of Christians—because to them humility was a pitiable weakness. Vine writes that tapeinophrosune... indicates, not a merely moral quality, but the subjection of self under the authority of, and in response to, the love of the Lord Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit to conform the believer to the character of Christ. In contrast to the world’s idea of being “poor-spirited” (in Classical Greek tapeinos commonly carried that imputation), the Lord commends “the poor in spirit” (Mt 5:3-note). Humility is not thinking less of ourselves but is really not thinking of ourselves at all. Barclay writes that... Basil was to describe it as “the gem casket of all the virtues”; but before Christianity humility was not counted as a virtue at all. The ancient world looked on humility as a thing to be despised... In classical Greek there is no word for humility which has not some tinge of servility; but Christian humility is not a cringing thing. It is based on two things. First, on the divine side, it is based on the awareness of the creatureliness of humanity. God is the Creator, man the creature, and in the presence of the Creator the creature cannot feel anything else but humility. Second, on the human side, it is based on the belief that all men are the sons of God; and there is no room for arrogance when we are living among men and women who are all of royal lineage. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press) Humility as discussed below always had a negative connotation in classical Greek. Christianity elevated this term to the supreme virtue, in fact providing the ultimate antidote for self-love that poisons all relationships. John MacArthur explains that... In secular Greek literature, the adjective tapeinos (“lowly”) was used exclusively in a derisive way, most commonly of a slave. It described what was considered base, common, unfit, and having little value. Thus, it is not surprising that the noun tapeinophrosune has not been found in any extra-biblical Greek literature before the second century. It seems, therefore, to have originated in the New Testament, where, along with its synonyms, it always has a positive connotation. Humility of mind is the opposite of pride, the sin that has always separated fallen men from God, making them, in effect, their own gods. Humility is also a dominant virtue in the Old Testament. “When pride comes, then comes dishonor,” warns Solomon, “but with the humble is wisdom” (Pr 11:2). Later he declares, “It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud” (Pr 16:19). (MacArthur, J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press) Edwards observes that... True humility is not putting ourselves down but rather lifting up others. If we concentrate on lifting up others, putting down ourselves will take care of itself. As we go through life exalting Christ and others, then genuine humility will be inevitable. If we exalt ourselves then God will take care of our humiliation for He promises to humble the proud. It is much less painful to do it the first way. (Philippians) Tapeinophrosune - 7x in 7v- Acts 20:19; Eph 4:2; Phil 2:3; Col 2:18, 23; 3:12; 1 Pet 5:5. NAS = humility(4), humility of mind(1), self-abasement(2). All of the uses convey a good connotation. See also word study on root word tapeinos. Here are some of the other NT uses of tapeinophrosune... Acts 20:19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; Ephesians 4:2 (note) (Context = Eph 4:1 Paul charges saints to walk worthy) with all humility (What is the first stepping stone of a worthy walk in Christ?) and gentleness (prautes), with patience (makrothumia), showing forbearance (anechomai) to one another in love (agape), 1 Peter 5:5 (note) You younger men, likewise, be subject (hupotasso) to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Colossians has 3 of the 7 NT uses of tapeinophrosune. Paul condemns false humility in his letter to the Colossians where there were individuals in their midst who were "delighting in self-abasement (tapeinophrosune They were delighting in it, meaning their supposed humility was nothing but ugly pride. It was like that of Uriah Heep, one of the most contemptible characters of English literature, who said, “I am well aware that I am the ’umblest person going” Chapter 16 of Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield)... inflated without cause by his fleshly mind... 2:23 matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement (tapeinophrosune -- it was often used in connection with fasting, and several Jewish Christian writings state that a consequence of this ascetic practice is entrance into the heavenly realm - this is false teaching - see the true teaching about believers in the heavenly realm even now in Ephesians 2:6) and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence... 3:12 So (now Paul is exhorting believers to manifest a genuine supernaturally Spirit empowered, Christ centered, God glorifying humility) as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility (tapeinophrosune), gentleness and patience" (see notes Colossians 2:18; Colossians 2:23; Colossians 3:12) Plato defined humility as follows That state of mind which submits to the divine order of the universe, and does not impiously exalt itself. (And excellent definition for one who as far as we know denied the Creator!) Humility was considered to be a vice with Greek pagan moralists, but a virtue with Christian apostles. The Greco Roman world considered humility to be groveling or abject and thus held it in considerable contempt. So Paul is going counter to his culture which said that to be low on the social scale, to know poverty, or to be socially powerless was shameful. Pentecost adds that... The Greeks prided themselves on being better than other men, and they considered it something to be proud of to acknowledge their superiority. A man so perverted not to think of himself as being a superior person was called by this word. If the army, successful in battle, took a number of captives whose lives they spared to become servants, these servants might rightly think of themselves by this word “humble-minded.” But for a Greek, never! (Pentecost, J. D. The Joy of Living: A study of Philippians. Kregel Publications) Lenski adds that "The pagan and the secular idea of manhood is self-assertiveness, imposing one's will on others; when anyone stooped to others he did so only under compulsion, hence his action was ignominious [disgraceful]. The Christian ethical idea of humility could not be reached by the secular mind; it lacked the spiritual soil." Scripture sees the universe as measurable only against God. Compared to him, human beings are rightly viewed as humble or those who should think of themselves as "low lying". Jesus taught that everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Lk 18:14, - This truth which the fallen, proud world abhors is one of the baseline principles in the Kingdom of God = Lk 1:52, 14:11, Ps 138:6, Pr 3:34, Pr 15:33, 18:12, 29:23, Jas 4:10) With this (and other teaching of course) Jesus thus elevated humility as a supreme virtue and providing an antidote for self-love that poisons relationships and creates disunity. Vine describes humility as "the subjection of self under the authority of and in response to the love of the Lord Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit to conform the believer to the character of Christ. In contrast to the world’s idea of being “poor-spirited” (in Classical Greek tapeinos commonly carried that imputation), the Lord commends “the poor in spirit” (Mt 5:3-note)." (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson ) Someone has described humility as “insight into one’s own insignificance”. It is the mind-set of the person who is not conceited but who has a right attitude toward himself. Humility before God and man is a virtue every child of God needs to strive for. A spirit of pride in human relations indicates a lack of humility before God. Wuest has this note on tapeinophrosune... Trench says of this word: “The Christian lowliness is no mere modesty or absence of pretension, nor yet a self-made grace. The making of ourselves small is pride in the disguise of humility. But the esteeming of ourselves small, inasmuch as we are so, the thinking truly, and because truly, therefore, lowlily of ourselves.” The word is used in an early secular manuscript of the Nile River at its low stage, “It runs low.” Expositors defines it: “the lowliness of mind which springs from a true estimate of ourselves—a deep sense of our own moral smallness and demerit.” (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans) Andrew Murray quipped that "The humble person is not one who thinks meanly of himself; he simply does not think of himself at all!" Humility is that grace that, when you know you have it, you have lost it! The truly humble person knows himself and accepts himself (Ro 12:3-note). He yields himself to Christ to be a servant, to use what he is and has for the glory of God and the good of others. “Others” is a key idea in this section as the believer’s eyes are turned away from himself and focused on the needs of others. Richards adds that This (section) is perhaps Scripture’s clearest portrait of the “humility” called for in the Gospel. It is not a weak man’s surrender, but a strong man’s rejection of selfishness and determination to be actively concerned with the needs and interests of others." (He adds) It is good to know as we humble ourselves to follow Jesus that our "labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1Co 15:58). In Christ there are no empty, meaningless lives. (Richards, L O: Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency) Barnes has an interesting description of humility as the estimation of ourselves according to truth. It is a willingness to take the place which we ought to take in the sight of God and man; and, having the low estimate of our own importance and character which the truth about our insignificance as creatures and vileness as sinners would produce, it will lead us to a willingness to perform lowly and humble offices that we may benefit others. (Philippians 2) When F. B. Meyer pastored Christ Church in London, Charles Spurgeon was preaching at Metropolitan Tabernacle, and G. Campbell Morgan was at Westminster Chapel. Meyer said, I find in my own ministry that supposing I pray for my own little flock, ‘God bless me, God fill my pews, God send my a revival,” I miss the blessing; but as I pray for my big brother, Mr. Spurgeon, on the right-hand side of my church, ‘God bless him’; or my other big brother, Campbell Morgan, on the other side of my church, ‘God bless him’; I am sure to get a blessing without praying for it, for the overflow of their cups fills my little bucket. The opposite of humility of mind is illustrated by the story of the young Scottish minister who walked proudly into the pulpit to preach his first sermon. He had a brilliant mind and a good education and was confident of himself as he faced his first congregation. But the longer he preached, the more conscious everyone was that “the Lord was not in the wind.” He finished his message quickly and came down from the pulpit with his head bowed, his pride now gone. Afterward, one of the members said to him, “If you had gone into the pulpit the way you came down, you might have come down from the pulpit the way you went up.” LET EACH ONE OF YOU REGARD (continually esteem) ONE ANOTHER AS MORE IMPORTANT THAN HIMSELF: allelous hegoumenoi (PMPMPN) huperechonatas (PAPMPA) heauton: (Torrey's Topic "Self Denial") esteem your neighbors more highly than yourselves (Lightfoot) but in humility let each consider the other better than himself. (Barclay) consider one another as excelling themselves this estimation resting, not upon feelings or sentiment, but upon a due consideration of facts. (Wuest) one another counting more excellent than yourselves (Young's) in humility think more of each other then you do of yourselves (Phillips), let each esteem others better than himself (NKJV), let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves]. (Amp), be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself (NET)

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