Philippians 2

Christian Humility

2If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, ^lif any fellowship with the Spirit, ^mif any affection and mercy, ⁿ²fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, ^ohaving the same love, ^psharing the same feelings, focusing on one ^qgoal. ³Do nothing out of rivalry ^ror conceit, ^sbut in humility ^tconsider others as more important ^uthan yourselves. ⁴Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, ^vbut also for the interests of others. ^w

Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

⁵Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,

⁶who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider equality with God ^x

as something to be used for His own advantage. ^y

⁷Instead He emptied Himself ^z

by assuming the form of a slave, ^a

taking on the likeness of men. ^b

And when He had come as a man

in His external form,

⁸He humbled Himself by becoming obedient

to the point of death—

even to death on a cross. ^c

⁹For this reason God highly exalted Him ^d

and gave Him the name

that is above every name,

¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus

every knee will bow ^e—

of those who are in heaven ^fand on earth

and under the earth ^g—

¹¹and every tongue ^hshould confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord, ⁱ

to the glory ^jof God the Father.

Lights in the World

¹²So then, my dear friends, ^kjust as you have always obeyed, ^lnot only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. ¹⁴Do everything without grumbling ^mand arguing, ⁿ¹⁵so that you may be blameless ^oand pure, ^pchildren of God who are faultless ^qin a crooked ^rand perverted ^sgeneration, ^tamong whom you shine like stars in the world. ¹⁶Hold firmly to ^uthe message ^vof life. Then I can boast ^win the day of Christ ^xthat I didn’t run or labor for nothing. ¹⁷But even if I am poured out ^yas a drink offering ^zon the sacrifice and 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 ^ato send Timothy ^bto you soon so that I also may be encouraged when I hear news about you. ²⁰For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; ²¹all seek their own interests, ^cnot those of Jesus Christ. ^d22But 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 convinced in the Lord that I myself will also come quickly. ^e

²⁵But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus ^f—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need ^g— 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 one grief on top of another. ²⁸For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice when you see him again and I may be less anxious. ²⁹Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in honor, ³⁰because he came close to death for the work ^hof Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.