In this verse the Philippian Christians are called upon to be happy about their sacrifice and to share their joy with the apostle. As there is a correspondence in sacrifice, so also there must be a correspondence in joy. Thus you too must be glad and share your joy with me. A perfect Christian comradeship!

In some languages one may be compelled to indicate the basis for gladness. And so it may be necessary to translate you too must be glad as “you, too, must be glad because of what is likely to happen,” or “… because of what will happen.” Similarly, share your joy with me must parallel the expression in verse 17, share my joy with you all. Accordingly, one may translate share your joy with me as “cause me to have joy as you do,” or “cause me to join with you in being happy.”

It may be difficult to speak of “sharing one’s joy” with others. The only way in which joy may be “shared” in some languages is to “cause others to be joyful.” Therefore, share my joy with you all must be rendered as “cause you all to have the same kind of joy that I have,” or “cause all of you to rejoice in some measure as I rejoice.”

Quoted with permission from Luo, I-Jin. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .