---
title: Philippians 2:9
url: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/philippians-2-9/
markdown: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/philippians-2-9.md
type: verse
perspective: Protestant (historic Nicene) response to Jehovah's Witness teaching
reference: Philippians 2:9
testament: NT
section: Letters
index: https://jw-apologetics.app/llms.txt
---

# Philippians 2:9

## Text (Berean Standard Bible)

> Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,

## NWT Wording of the Key Phrase

- NWT (2013 revision): "For this very reason, God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name,"

## JW Usage

JWs read Philippians 2:9–11 as God rewarding Jesus' obedience by exalting him to the highest position under Jehovah — confirming that Jesus is subordinate and his exaltation is granted, not inherent. The "name above every name" is understood as a title of office, not a claim to deity.

## Protestant Usage

Paul writes that "God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name." The hymn's structure is decisive: Philippians 2:6 establishes that Jesus was "in God's form" and had "equality with God" before the incarnation — the NWT restructures this verse to deny pre-existing equality, but the Greek morphē theou ("form of God") describes essential nature, not external appearance. The exaltation is a return to glory, not a first-time promotion. Verses 10–11 quote Isaiah 45:23, where Jehovah says "to me every knee will bow." By the Watchtower's own rule for restoring "Jehovah" in the NT, kyrios here should be "Jehovah" — but doing so would read "Jesus Christ is Jehovah," so the NWT retains "Lord." Paul deliberately reformulates the Jewish Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4) in 1 Corinthians 8:6 to include Jesus within the divine identity.

Set beside Psalm 148:13 ("his name alone is unreachably high") and Isaiah 42:8 ("I give my glory to no one else"), the gift of "the name above every name" can only mean a share in the glory that belongs to Jehovah alone. Ephesians 1:21 extends it to "every name that is named, not only in this system of things but also in that to come."

## NWT Issue

The Greek reads to onoma to hyper pan onoma, "the name above every name" (BSB "the name above all names"). The NWT adds "other" ("above every other name"). The addition is not in the text, and it lets a reader assume an unstated exception for the Father's name, the same effect as the added "other" in Colossians 1:16-17.

## Arguments Using This Verse

- [The Incarnation Framework](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/philippians2.md) — Philippians 2:5–8 [Deity of Christ]
- [The NWT's One-Way Mirror](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/nwt-unidirectional-bias.md) — Every Change Points the Same Direction [NWT Translation]
- [The Christian Shema — Paul Splits the Shema to Include Jesus](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/christian-shema.md) — 1 Corinthians 8:6 / Deuteronomy 6:4 / Isaiah 44:24 [Deity of Christ]
- [The Son Hands Over the Kingdom — 1 Corinthians 15:24-28](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/1corinthians15-subjection.md) — 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 / John 17:5 / Philippians 2:9-11 [Deity of Christ]
- [No New Testament Command to Use 'Jehovah'](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/jehovah-name-no-NT-mandate.md) — The NT's only command about the saving name redirects it to Jesus [Deity of Christ]
- [The Salvation-Name Dilemma](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/salvation-name-dilemma.md) — Old Testament — only Jehovah's name saves. New Testament — only Jesus' name saves. [Deity of Christ]
- [David's Son, David's Lord](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/psalm-110-my-lord.md) — Psalm 110:1 / Matthew 22:41-46 — the question Jesus asked that nobody could answer [Deity of Christ]