Philippians 2:9–30

⁹Therefore also God exalted him

and graciously granted him the name above every name,

¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth,

¹¹and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Holding Fast to the Word of Life

¹²Therefore my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For the one at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure, is God. ¹⁴Do all things without grumbling and disputing, ¹⁵in order that you may become blameless and innocent, children of God without fault^g in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as stars in the world,^{h 16}holding fast to the word of life, for a source of prideⁱ to me in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. ¹⁷But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸And in the same way also you rejoice and rejoice with me.

Timothy’s Proven Character

¹⁹But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I also may be encouraged when I^* know your circumstances^j. ²⁰For I have no one like-minded who will sincerely be concerned about your circumstances^k. ²¹For they all seek their own interests^l, not those of Jesus Christ. ²²But you know his proven character, that like a child with a father he served with me for the gospel. ²³Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see my circumstances^m. ²⁴And I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will arrive shortly also.

Epaphroditus’ Mission

²⁵But I considered it^* necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, but your messenger and servant of my need, ²⁶because he was longing for all of you and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷For indeed he was sick, coming near to death, but God had mercy on him and not on him only, but also on me, so that I would not have grief upon grief. ²⁸Therefore I am sending him with special urgency, in order that when^* you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less anxious. ²⁹Therefore welcome him in the Lord with all joy, and consider such people highly honored, ³⁰because on account of the work of Christ he came near to the point of death, risking his life in order that he might make up for your inability to serve meⁿ.