< Philippians 2 >
1 Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of charity, if any society of the spirit, if any bowels of commiseration:
2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
Fulfill ye my joy, that you may be of one mind, having the same charity, being of one accord, agreeing in sentiment.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
Let nothing be done through contention, neither by vain glory: but in humility, let each esteem others better than themselves:
4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Each one not considering the things that are his own, but those that are other men’s.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:
For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross.
He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,
For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names:
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth:
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence, ) with fear and trembling work out your salvation.
13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will.
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,
And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations;
15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world.
16 as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
Holding forth the word of life to my glory in the day of Christ, because I have not run in vain, nor laboured in vain.
17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
Yea, and if I be made a victim upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and congratulate with you all.
18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
And for the selfsame thing do you also rejoice, and congratulate with me.
19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing.
And I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy unto you shortly, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know the things concerning you.
20 I have nobody else like him who will genuinely care for your needs.
For I have no man so of the same mind, who with sincere affection is solicitous for you.
21 For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
For all seek the things that are their own; not the things that are Jesus Christ’s.
22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, that as a child with his father he has served with me to advance the gospel.
Now know ye the proof of him, that as a son with the father, so hath he served with me in the gospel.
23 So I hope to send him as soon as I see what happens with me.
Him therefore I hope to send unto you immediately, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.
24 And I trust in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
And I trust in the Lord, that I myself also shall come to you shortly.
25 But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs.
But I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow labourer, and fellow soldier, but your apostle, and he that hath ministered to my wants.
26 For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
For indeed he longed after you all: and was sad, for that you had heard that he was sick.
27 He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
For indeed he was sick, nigh unto death; but God had mercy on him; and not only on him, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less anxious.
Therefore I sent him the more speedily: that seeing him again, you may rejoice, and I may be without sorrow.
29 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him,
Receive him therefore with all joy in the Lord; and treat with honour such as he is.
30 because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for your deficit of service to me.
Because for the work of Christ he came to the point of death: delivering his life, that he might fulfill that which on your part was wanting towards my service.