Philippians 2

Christian Humility

¹If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, ^a if any fellowship with the Spirit, ^b if any affection and mercy, ^{c 2}make my joy complete by thinking the same way, ^d having the same love, ^e united in spirit, intent on one ^f purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition ^g or conceit, ^h but in humility ⁱ consider others as more important ^j than yourselves. ⁴Everyone should look not to his own interests, ^k but rather to the interests of others. ^l

Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

⁵Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

⁶who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider equality with God ^m

as something to be exploited. ⁿ

⁷Instead he emptied himself ^o

by assuming the form of a servant, ^p

taking on the likeness of humanity. ^q

And when he had come as a man,

⁸he humbled himself by becoming obedient

to the point of death —

even to death on a cross. ^r

⁹For this reason God highly exalted him ^s

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus

every knee will bow ^t —

in heaven ^u and on earth

and under the earth ^v —

¹¹and every tongue ^w will confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory ^x of God the Father.

Lights in the World

¹²Therefore, my dear friends, ^y just as you have always obeyed, ^z so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. ¹⁴Do everything without grumbling ^aa and arguing, ^{ab 15}so that you may be blameless ^ac and pure, ^ad children of God who are faultless ^ae in a crooked ^af and perverted ^ag generation, ^ah among whom you shine like stars in the world, ¹⁶by holding firm to the word ^ai of life. Then I can boast ^aj in the day of Christ ^ak that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. ¹⁷But even if I am poured out ^al as a drink offering ^am on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹Now I hope in the Lord Jesus ^an to send Timothy ^ao to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. ²⁰For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; ²¹all seek their own interests, ^ap not those of Jesus Christ. ^{aq 22}But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. ²³Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. ²⁴I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon. ^ar

²⁵But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus ^as #— #my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need ^at #— # ²⁶since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. ²⁷Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. ²⁹Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, ³⁰because he came close to death for the work ^au of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.