Philippians 2:6

(KJV) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
(1611 KJV) Who being in the forme of God, thought it not robbery to bee equall with God:
(1587 Geneva Bible) Who being in the forme of God, thought it not robbery to bee equall with God:
(1526 Tyndale) Which beynge in the shape of god and thought it not robbery to be equall with god.

Counterfeit Versions
(1901 ASV) who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,
(AMP) Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained,
(CEB) Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit.

(CSB) who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.

(ERV) He was like God in every way, but he did not think that his being equal with God was something to use for his own benefit.
(ESV) who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
(HCSB) who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.
(NASV) who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
(NCV) Christ himself was like God in everything. But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit.
(NET) who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped,
(NIRV) In his very nature he was God. But he did not think that being equal with God was something he should hold on to.
(NIV) Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
(NLT) Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
(RSV) who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
(NAB-Roman Catholic) Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
ος εν μορφη θεου υπαρχων ουχ αρπαγμον ηγησατο το ειναι ισα θεω

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
ος εν μορφη θεου υπαρχων ουχ αρπαγμον ηγησατο το ειναι ισα θεω

Corrupted Manuscripts
None

Affected Teaching
This week’s verse shows us that words were added to verse 6, “to be grasped.” These words are not found in any manuscripts. It seems it was added between the 1881 RV which does not contain it and the 1901 ASV which does contain it. It seems that the by adding these words that the modern versions seem to be claiming that Jesus was grasping after the attributes of God after He came to earth instead of Him having them with Him when He came to earth.

The Lord Jesus Christ came to earth and He had the form of God. This does not specifically denote outward appearance but in this case means that He had the nature and essence of God. The verse states that Jesus did not believe He was robbing anything, such as glory or attributes from God. He was the Son of God which means that He was also God because as the Bible states, like begets like.

So God sent His Son and His Son could be no less deity than the Father. If Christ lacked one divine attribute, then He was not God but He had all the attributes of God such as creator. At the wedding of Cana, Jesus turned the water into wine. This was an act of creation because there was water in the pots and wine was created. So Jesus being God in the flesh did not rob any attribute of God because they were already in Him, being deity in the flesh. It is just that He set many of these aside to come to earth. If He would have come to earth in full glory, He would have consumed this earth.

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