Philippians 2:11 (KJV)

What does Philippians 2:11 mean?

Philippians 2:11 describes a universal acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as Lord. The verse presents that acknowledgment as bringing honor to God the Father, rather than as something separate from honoring him.

After the bending of every knee in verse 10, the image moves from posture to speech: every tongue joins in declaring who Jesus is. The words “Jesus Christ is Lord” give the content of that declaration.

The Greek behind Philippians 2:11

• “confess” — ἐξομολογέω (exomologeō): This word can mean to acknowledge or declare openly. Here it describes an spoken acknowledgment of Jesus, not necessarily an admission of wrongdoing.
• “Lord” — κύριος (kyrios): This word can refer to a master or someone with authority. Here it names the position attributed to Jesus in the declaration.
• “glory” — δόξα (doxa): This word can mean honor or splendor. In this verse, the acknowledgment of Jesus results in honor being given to God the Father.

Why Philippians 2:11 matters

• The declaration reaches beyond one group of people. “Every tongue” follows verse 10’s picture of beings in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
• The title “Lord” belongs to the passage’s account of Jesus’ path from humility to honor. Verses 8–9 move from his obedience and death to God raising him to the highest place.
• The wording echoes Isaiah 45:23, where God speaks of every knee bowing and every tongue swearing allegiance. That earlier passage gives the language of Philippians 2:10–11 a setting that Jewish readers, and others familiar with Israel’s Scriptures, could recognize.