Philippians 2

Unity Through Humility

2Therefore if there is any ¹consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any ^aaffection and mercy, ^2bfulfill my joy ^cby being like-minded, having the same love, being of ^done accord, of one mind. ^3eLet nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but ^fin lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ^4gLet each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of ^hothers.

The Humbled and Exalted Christ

⁵ⁱLet this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, ^jbeing in the form of God, did not consider it ²robbery to be equal with God, ^7kbut ³made Himself of no reputation, taking the form ^lof a bondservant, and ^mcoming in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and ⁿbecame ^oobedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ^9pTherefore God also ^qhas highly exalted Him and ^rgiven Him the name which is above every name, ^10sthat 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 ^tthat every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Light Bearers

¹²Therefore, my beloved, ^uas you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, ^vwork out your own salvation with ^wfear and trembling; ¹³for ^xit is God who works in you both to will and to do ^yfor His good pleasure.

¹⁴Do all things ^zwithout ⁴complaining and ^adisputing, ⁵¹⁵that you may become blameless and ⁶harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as ^blights in the world, ¹⁶holding fast the word of life, so that ^cI may rejoice in the day of Christ that ^dI have not run in vain or labored in ^evain.

¹⁷Yes, and if ^fI am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice ^gand service of your faith, ^hI am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy Commended

¹⁹But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send ⁱTimothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your ⁷state. ²⁰For I have no one ^jlike-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. ²¹For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. ²²But you know his proven character, ^kthat as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. ²³Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. ²⁴But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.

Epaphroditus Praised

²⁵Yet I considered it necessary to send to you ^lEpaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and ^mfellow soldier, ⁿbut your messenger and ^othe one who ministered to my need; ^26psince he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. ²⁹Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; ³⁰because for the work of Christ he came close to death, ⁸not regarding his life, ^qto supply what was lacking in your service toward me.