Philippians 2:9–30

⁹Therefore God exalted him^j to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,^k

¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,^l

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,^m

¹¹and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,ⁿ

to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

¹²Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,^{o 13}for it is God who works in you^p to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.^q

¹⁴Do everything without grumbling^r or arguing, ¹⁵so that you may become blameless^s and pure, “children of God^t without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^cu Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ^v that I did not run^w or labor in vain.^{x 17}But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering^y on the sacrifice^z and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.^{a 18}So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy^b to you soon,^c that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. ²⁰I have no one else like him,^d who will show genuine concern for your welfare. ²¹For everyone looks out for their own interests,^e not those of Jesus Christ. ²²But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father^f he has served with me in the work of the gospel. ²³I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.^{g 24}And I am confident^h in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

²⁵But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-workerⁱ and fellow soldier,^j who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.^{k 26}For he longs for all of you^l and is distressed because you heard he was ill. ²⁷Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸Therefore I am all the more eager to send him,^m so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. ²⁹So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,^{n 30}because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.^o