Philippians 3:20 · Bible study
Philippians 3:20 Commentary: Heavenly Citizenship and Waiting for the Savior
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul contrasts earthly-mindedness with heavenly citizenship, showing that believers' true home is in heaven and they eagerly await Christ's return.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Christians belong to a heavenly commonwealth, not an earthly one, and await Christ’s return as their Savior.
- Key words: πολίτευμα (citizenship), ὑπάρχει (already exists), ἀπεκδεχόμεθα (eagerly waiting).
- Main debate: Whether πολίτευμα means “commonwealth” or “conduct”; the consensus favors commonwealth.
- Theological theme: Eschatological identity and hope; the already/not yet of the kingdom.
- Best use: Comfort in suffering, motivation for holy living, and a corrective to worldly attachments.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
WEB World English Bible 2000
For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
KJV King James Version 1769
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For our citizenship is in the heavens, whence also a Saviour we await--the Lord Jesus Christ--
Darby Darby Bible 1890
for our commonwealth has its existence in [the] heavens, from which also we await the Lord Jesus Christ [as] Saviour,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But our conversation is in heaven: from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas nuestra vivienda es en los cielos; de donde|strong="G3739, G3757" también esperamos al Salvador, al Señor Jesucristo|strong="G2424, G5547";
Mas nós somos cidadãos dos céus, de onde também esperamos um Salvador, o Senhor Jesus Cristo.
Mais notre cité à nous est dans les cieux, d’ où nous attendons aussi comme Sauveur le Seigneur Jésus-Christ,
Unser Wandel aber ist im Himmel, von dannen wir auch warten des Heilands Jesu Christi, des HERRN,
Maar onze wandel is in de hemelen, waaruit wij ook den Zaligmaker verwachten, namelijk den Heere Jezus Christus;
Quanto a noi, la nostra cittadinanza è ne’ cieli, d’onde anche aspettiamo come Salvatore il Signor Gesù Cristo,
Aleć nasza rzeczpospolita jest w niebiesiech, skąd też zbawiciela oczekujemy, Pana Jezusa Chrystusa.
Наше же жительство — на небесах, откуда мы ожидаем и Спасителя, Господа нашего Иисуса Христа,
我們 卻是 天上 的國民，並且 等候 救主，就是主 耶穌 基督 從天上 降臨。
For our country is in heaven; from where the Saviour for whom we are waiting will come, even the Lord Jesus Christ:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Philippians 3:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse defines the believer's true identity as a citizen of heaven. The key Greek term politeuma (πολίτευμα) occurs only here in the New Testament. Barnes, Gill, and the Cambridge Bible all argue it refers not to speech or general conduct, but to citizenship or commonwealth, a community with its own laws and administration. Paul deliberately sets this against those who 'mind earthly things' in the previous verse. The verb apekdechometha (we are awaiting) carries the force of patient, eager expectation. Vincent notes it 'indicates earnest, patient waiting and expectation,' with attention drawn away from lesser things. Together, these words paint a picture: believers already belong to heaven, yet they still wait for the full arrival of their Savior, Jesus Christ. This waiting is active and shapes how they live now. As Calvin puts it, believers 'must be conversant with heaven in mind and affection.' The consensus is that our citizenship is both a present reality and a future hope, and it radically distinguishes us from those who live only for this world.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: All Christians agree that Paul identifies the believer's true home as heaven and points to Christ's return as the fulfillment of their hope.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of πολίτευμα | All traditions agree the word refers primarily to citizenship or commonwealth, a community with its own laws and administration. | Older English translations (e.g., KJV) rendered it 'conversation' based on the Latin 'conversatio,' which meant 'manner of life.' Modern scholarship universally reads it as 'citizenship.' No one today argues for 'conversation' in the sense of talk; the difference is between civic identity and general conduct. |
| How Christians 'wait' for the Savior | Christians across traditions affirm that waiting for Christ is active and hopeful, not passive. | Reformed commentators (Calvin, Gill) emphasize the spiritual separation from the world that this waiting demands. Wesley and the Methodists stress that waiting transforms the affections and conduct here and now. Both see the waiting as a dynamic part of sanctification. |
| The relationship between present and future citizenship | All Christians agree that our ultimate home is heaven and we are pilgrims on earth. | Some traditions (e.g., Anabaptist, certain Reformed) stress the radical counter-cultural witness of the church as a colony of heaven. Others (e.g., Catholic, Lutheran) emphasize that earthly vocations are not set aside but are lived out in light of this heavenly identity. Both seek faithfulness to the verse. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Philippi was a Roman colony founded by veterans, a miniature Rome on Macedonian soil. Its citizens enjoyed privileges, exemption from certain taxes, the right to appeal to Caesar, a sense of pride and legal identity tied to a city far away. Paul draws on this political reality to make a theological point: Christians have a citizenship that is even more real and secure, but it belongs to heaven.
The immediate context sharpens the contrast. In verses 18-19, Paul speaks of 'enemies of the cross of Christ' whose 'god is the belly' and who 'mind earthly things.' Their identity is bound up with the present world. Against them, Paul sets believers: 'For our citizenship is in heaven.' The word gar (for) links this statement to the preceding warning. It is not merely an abstract doctrine but a practical identity that separates the people of God from those who are perishing.
The word huparchei ('exists,' from huparchō) is worth attention. Vincent notes that this verb 'has a backward look', it conveys that our citizenship already exists in heaven, having been established from of old. This is not something we earn or achieve; it is a given reality. At the same time, the compound verb apekdechometha ('we wait for') points forward. Paul uses this same word elsewhere for creation's eager longing (Romans 8:19) and for the adoption of our bodies (Romans 8:23). It is a waiting that involves straining forward, like a runner at the finish line or a watchman scanning the horizon.
The Old Testament background reinforces this dual reality. The psalmist speaks of being satisfied when he awakes in God's likeness (Psalm 17:15), and Isaiah envisions a strong city with salvation for walls (Isaiah 26:1-2). Early Christians understood themselves as inheritors of these promises, already citizens of a kingdom not made with hands.
Textual Notes
The WEB reading 'For' (γάρ) is supported by the overwhelming majority of Greek manuscripts and all modern critical editions. The Cambridge Bible notes that a variant reading 'But' appears in some early patristic quotations but has no manuscript evidence. This variant does not change the meaning substantially, either conjunction serves to contrast the heavenly-mindedness of believers with the earthly-mindedness of the false teachers in the preceding verses. The textual basis for this verse is secure.
Reception History
This verse has shaped Christian identity and hope from the early church onward. The second-century Epistle to Diognetus (cited in the Cambridge Bible) describes Christians as 'living in their own countries but as citizens of heaven,' echoing Paul's language. The Reformers, including Calvin, used the verse to argue for the church's spiritual separation from worldly systems. Wesley saw it as a call to set affections on things above. Across traditions, the verse has comforted believers facing persecution, reoriented priorities in times of prosperity, and fueled longing for the Second Coming. It remains a foundational text for understanding the Christian's dual citizenship, living in the world while belonging to another kingdom.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Our identity is heavenly, not earthly. Paul uses the civic term politeuma to declare that we belong to a different commonwealth. This is not a metaphor for good behavior but a statement of allegiance. Our laws, language, and ultimate loyalty are shaped by heaven.
- Our hope is focused on Christ's return. We 'wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.' The waiting is eager, not passive. It orients our affections and expectations toward the One who will complete our salvation.
- Our present life flows from that identity and hope. The two realities are inseparable. Because we are citizens of heaven, we live differently now: we do not get our bearings from earthly success, comfort, or approval. Our hearts are anchored elsewhere.
Five-point outline
- Heavenly citizenship is a gift, not an achievement.
- Earthly things lose their grip when we know where we truly belong.
- Waiting for the Savior is an active posture, prayer, perseverance, and purity.
- This hope transforms suffering: our bodies will be conformed to Christ's glory (v.21).
- Our conduct testifies to our homeland, inviting others to seek the same city.
Illustration hooks
- An immigrant holds a passport from another country while living abroad. Their rights and duties are defined not by their current residence but by the nation that claims them.
- A person waiting at the airport for a loved one to arrive stays near the gate, eyes fixed on the corridor. They have already prepared a place and a welcome.
- A child away at summer camp knows they have a home to return to. That knowledge changes how they handle the temporary hard days.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If my citizenship is in heaven, why do I still feel so attached to the things of this world?
- How do I actively 'wait' for Christ without just sitting around?
- What practical difference does it make on Monday morning that I belong to a heavenly commonwealth?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the hinge of Paul's argument in Philippians 3. He has just warned against those who are consumed with earthly things. Now he states the positive identity of believers: we are citizens of heaven. That citizenship is already real, yet we are still waiting for its full expression when Christ returns. The two truths, present reality and future hope, belong together. Use these questions to explore what that means for everyday life.
Discussion questions
- Read Philippians 3:18-19. What does Paul say about those who 'mind earthly things'? How does verse 20 directly answer that outlook?
- The word politeuma is rare. Why do you think Paul chose a political word instead of a religious one? What does that imply about the church's identity?
- Where does Paul say our citizenship is? What does it mean for something to 'already exist' (huparchei) in heaven?
- What does the verb 'wait for' (or 'eagerly await') suggest about the Christian life between Christ's ascension and return?
- If you truly believed your forever home is not on earth, what would change about your priorities, your worries, or your ambitions?
- How does this verse speak to someone who feels rootless or displaced by life's circumstances?
- What is one practical step you can take this week to live as a citizen of heaven while still on earth?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 16:11 | You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more. |
| Psalms 17:15 | As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form. |
| Psalms 73:24 | You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. |
| Psalms 73:26 | My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. |
| Proverbs 15:24 | The path of life leads upward for the wise, to keep him from going downward to Sheol. |
| Isaiah 26:1 | In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks. |
| Isaiah 26:2 | Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith. |
| Matthew 6:19 | “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke focuses on the Greek word for "conversation," which actually means a commonwealth or civil society. He contrasts earthly-minded teachers who belong to a worldly city with Christians who belong to a heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, with rights and fellowship that are eternal.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes points out that the Greek word translated "conversation" actually means a commonwealth or community of citizens. For him, Paul's point is that Christians belong to heaven as their native country, governed by its laws and looking for their Savior to return from there.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists that believers' true citizenship is in heaven, which sets them apart from those who mind earthly things and from all empty religious shows. Because they are united to Christ their Head in heaven, they must be spiritually dead to this world and live with their hearts fixed above.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The key point is the Greek word politeuma, meaning civic status or citizenship, not mere behavior. Christians already hold heavenly citizenship with its full rights and obligations, and this abiding reality shapes their present life as they eagerly wait for the Savior.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes point out that the word "conversation" refers to a citizen's
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the word translated "conversation" actually means "citizenship." Believers are citizens of heaven, not of earth, and they live here as pilgrims and strangers. Their thoughts, affections, and daily business are set on that heavenly city, and from it they eagerly await Christ, who will come as their Savior, not merely as a Judge.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB points out that "our conversation" does not mean speech but citizenship, our status as members of a heavenly country. Roman citizenship was highly valued in that day, yet believers hold a far greater citizenship that has its existence in the heavens, from which we expect the Saviour.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Paul warned the Philippians frequently and with tears about those who claim Christ's name but live as enemies of his cross. Their conduct, not their profession, reveals them. Henry highlights that even repeated warnings can be delivered with fresh feeling, as Paul preached old truths with renewed affection.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent argues that "conversation" here means commonwealth or citizenship, not manner of life. The Greek word for "is" implies the commonwealth already exists in heaven, established of old. "We look for" means earnest, patient waiting, and the title "Savior" is predicative: we await as Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that the Greek word translated as "conversation" actually carries a much wider meaning. For him it points not only to outward behavior but to a heavenly citizenship that already governs a believer's thoughts and deepest affections.