Philippians 2
2
Have the Attitude of Christ
1Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6Though he was God,#2:6 Or Being in the form of God.
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7Instead, he gave up his divine privileges#2:7a Greek he emptied himself.;
he took the humble position of a slave#2:7b Or the form of a slave.
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,#2:7c Some English translations put this phrase in verse 8.
8he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Shine Brightly for Christ
12Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
14Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God,#2:17 Greek I will rejoice even if I am to be poured out as a liquid offering. just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.
Paul Commends Timothy
19If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.
Paul Commends Epaphroditus
25Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.
28So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. 29Welcome him in the Lord’s love#2:29 Greek in the Lord. and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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Philippians 2
2
Unity Through Humility
1Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any #Col. 3:12affection and mercy, 2#John 3:29fulfill my joy #Rom. 12:16by being like-minded, having the same love, being of #Phil. 4:2one accord, of one mind. 3#Gal. 5:26; James 3:14Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but #Rom. 12:10; Eph. 5:21in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4#1 Cor. 13:5Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of #Rom. 15:1, 2others.
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
5#(Matt. 11:29); Rom. 15:3Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, #2 Cor. 4:4being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7#Ps. 22:6but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form #Is. 42:1of a bondservant, and #(John 1:14); Rom. 8:3; Gal. 4:4; (Heb. 2:17)coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and #Ps. 40:6–8; Matt. 26:39; John 10:18; (Rom. 5:19)became #Heb. 5:8obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9#(Matt. 28:18); Heb. 2:9Therefore God also #Ps. 68:18; 110:1; Is. 52:13; Acts 2:33has highly exalted Him and #Is. 9:6; Luke 1:32; Eph. 1:21given Him the name which is above every name, 10#Is. 45:23; Rom. 14:11; Rev. 5:13that 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 #John 13:13; (Rom. 10:9; 14:9)that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Light Bearers
12Therefore, my beloved, #Phil. 1:5, 6; 4:15as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, #John 6:27, 29; 2 Pet. 1:10work out your own salvation with #Eph. 6:5fear and trembling; 13for #Rom. 12:3; 1 Cor. 12:6; 15:10; 2 Cor. 3:5; Heb. 13:20, 21it is God who works in you both to will and to do #Eph. 1:5for His good pleasure.
14Do all things #1 Cor. 10:10; 1 Pet. 4:9without complaining and #Rom. 14:1disputing, 15that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as #Matt. 5:15, 16lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life, so that #2 Cor. 1:14I may rejoice in the day of Christ that #Gal. 2:2I have not run in vain or labored in #Is. 49:4; Gal. 4:11; 1 Thess. 3:5vain.
17Yes, and if #2 Cor. 12:15; 2 Tim. 4:6I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice #Num. 28:6, 7; Rom. 15:16and service of your faith, #2 Cor. 7:4I 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 #Rom. 16:21Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. 20For I have no one #1 Cor. 16:10; 2 Tim. 3:10like-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, #1 Cor. 4:17that 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 #Phil. 4:18Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and #Philem. 2fellow soldier, #John 13:16; 2 Cor. 8:23but your messenger and #2 Cor. 11:9the one who ministered to my need; 26#Phil. 1:8since 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, not regarding his life, #1 Cor. 16:17; Phil. 4:10to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.