Epaphroditus Praised

25 Yet 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; 26 psince he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For 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. 28 Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; 30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, 8not regarding his life, qto supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

All for Christ

3 Finally, my brethren, arejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

2 bBeware of dogs, beware of cevil workers, dbeware of the mutilation! 3 For we are ethe circumcision, fwho worship 1God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though gI also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I hmore so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, iof the tribe of Benjamin, ja Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, ka Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, lpersecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7 But mwhat things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss nfor the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having omy own righteousness, which is from the law, but pthat which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the qpower of His resurrection, and rthe fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may sattain 2to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing Toward the Goal

12 Not that I have already tattained, 3 or am already uperfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have 4apprehended; but one thing I do, vforgetting those things which are behind and wreaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 xI press toward the goal for the prize of ythe upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Therefore let us, as many as are zmature, ahave this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, bGod will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already 5attained, clet us walk dby the same 6rule, let us be of the same mind.