Philippians 2

1 If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,

If then there is any comfort in Christ, any help given by love, any uniting of hearts in the Spirit, any loving mercies and pity,

2 make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;

Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in harmony and of one mind;

3 doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

Doing nothing through envy or through pride, but with low thoughts of self let everyone take others to be better than himself;

4 each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

Not looking everyone to his private good, but keeping in mind the things of others.

5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,

Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,

To whom, though himself in the form of God, it did not seem that to take for oneself was to be like God;

7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

But he made himself as nothing, taking the form of a servant, being made like men;

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.

And being seen in form as a man, he took the lowest place, and let himself be put to death, even the death of the cross.

9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name,

For this reason God has put him in the highest place and has given to him the name which is greater than every name;

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,

So that at the name of Jesus every knee may be bent, of those in heaven and those on earth and those in the underworld,

11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

And that every tongue may give witness that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

So then, my loved ones, as you have at all times done what I say, not only when I am present, but now much more when I am not with you, give yourselves to working out your salvation with fear in your hearts;

13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

For it is God who is the cause of your desires and of your acts, for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without complaining and arguing,

Do all things without protests and arguments;

15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,

So that you may be holy and gentle, children of God without sin in a twisted and foolish generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,

16 holding up the word of life, that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.

Offering the word of life; so that I may have glory in you in the day of Christ, because my running was not for nothing and my work was not without effect.

17 Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

And even if I am offered like a drink offering, giving myself for the cause and work of your faith, I am glad and have joy with you all:

18 In the same way, you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

And in the same way do you be glad and have a part in my joy.

19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing.

But I am hoping in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you before long, so that I may be comforted when I have news of you.

20 For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you.

For I have no man of like mind who will truly have care for you.

21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.

For they all go after what is theirs, not after the things of Christ.

22 But you know that he has proved himself. As a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News.

But his quality is clear to you; how, as a child is to its father, so he was a help to me in the work of the good news.

23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it will go with me.

Him then I am hoping to send as quickly as possible, when I am able to see how things will go for me:

24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly.

But I have faith in the Lord that I myself will come before long.

25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need,

But it seemed to me necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, who has taken part with me in the work and in the fight, and your servant, sent by you for help in my need;

26 since he longed for you all, and was very troubled because you had heard that he was sick.

Because his heart was with you all, and he was greatly troubled because you had news that he was ill:

27 For indeed he was sick nearly to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow.

For in fact he was ill almost to death: but God had mercy on him; and not only on him but on me, so that I might not have grief on grief.

28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

I have sent him, then, the more gladly, so that when you see him again, you may be happy and I may have the less sorrow.

29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honor,

So take him to your hearts in the Lord with all joy, and give honour to such as he is:

30 because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.

Because for the work of Christ he was near to death, putting his life in danger to make your care for me complete.