Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,t if any tenderness and compassion,u 2 then make my joy completev by being like-minded,w having the same love, being onex in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.y Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,z 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.a

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:b

6 Who, being in very naturea God,c

did not consider equality with Godd something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothinge

by taking the very natureb of a servant,f

being made in human likeness.g

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to deathh—

even death on a cross!i

9 Therefore God exalted himj to the highest place

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

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

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,m

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

to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

12 Therefore, 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 youp to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.q

14 Do everything without grumblingr or arguing, 15 so that you may become blamelesss and pure, “children of Godt without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”c u Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christv that I did not runw or labor in vain.x 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offeringy on the sacrificez 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

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

25 But 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 youl and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed 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. 28 Therefore 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. 29 So 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

No Confidence in the Flesh

3 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,p and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs,q those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision,r we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,s and who put no confidence in the flesh—4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.t

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcisedu on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,v of the tribe of Benjamin,w a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;x 6 as for zeal,y persecuting the church;z as for righteousness based on the law,a faultless.

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider lossb for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowingc Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christd 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,e but that which is through faith ina Christ—the righteousnessf that comes from God on the basis of faith.g 10 I want to knowh Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,i becoming like him in his death,j 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrectionk from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,l but I press on to take holdm of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.n 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behindo and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press onp toward the goal to win the prizeq for which God has calledr me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Paul’s Example

15 All of us, then, who are matures should take such a view of things.t And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.u 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

17 Join together in following my example,v brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.w 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears,x many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.y 19 Their destinyz is destruction, their god is their stomach,a and their glory is in their shame.b Their mind is set on earthly things.c 20 But our citizenshipd is in heaven.e And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,f 21 who, by the powerg that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodiesh so that they will be like his glorious body.i

Closing Appeal for Steadfastness and Unity

4 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for,j my joy and crown, stand firmk in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mindl in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers,m whose names are in the book of life.n

Final Exhortations

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!o 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.p 6 Do not be anxious about anything,q but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.r 7 And the peace of God,s which transcends all understanding,t will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.u And the God of peacev will be with you.

Thanks for Their Gifts

10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me.w Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be contentx whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,y whether living in plenty or in want.z 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.a

14 Yet it was good of you to shareb in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early daysc of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia,d not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;e 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica,f you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.g 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.h 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditusi the gifts you sent. They are a fragrantj offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needsk according to the riches of his gloryl in Christ Jesus.

20 To our God and Fatherm be glory for ever and ever. Amen.n

Final Greetings

21 Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with meo send greetings. 22 All God’s peoplep here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christq be with your spirit.r Amen.a