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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Philippians 2: NLT
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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
Have the Same Attitude as Christ
1So then, as Christians, do you have any encouragement? Do you have any comfort from love? Do you have any spiritual relationships? Do you have any sympathy and compassion? 2Then fill me with joy by having the same attitude and the same love, living in harmony, and keeping one purpose in mind. 3Don’t act out of selfish ambition or be conceited. Instead, humbly think of others as being better than yourselves. 4Don’t be concerned only about your own interests, but also be concerned about the interests of others. 5Have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6Although he was in the form of God and equal with God,
he did not take advantage of this equality.
7Instead, he emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant,
by becoming like other humans,
by having a human appearance.
8He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
death on a cross.
9This is why God has given him an exceptional honor—
the name honored above all other names—
10so that at the name of Jesus everyone in heaven, on earth,
and in the world below will kneel
11and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of God the Father.
12My dear friends, you have always obeyed, not only when I was with you but even more now that I’m absent. In the same way continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13It is God who produces in you the desires and actions that please him.
14Do everything without complaining or arguing. 15Then you will be blameless and innocent. You will be God’s children without any faults among people who are crooked and corrupt. You will shine like stars among them in the world 16as you hold firmly to the word of life. Then I can brag on the day of Christ that my effort was not wasted and that my work produced results. 17My life is being poured out as a part of the sacrifice and service ⌞I offer to God⌟ for your faith. Yet, I am filled with joy, and I share that joy with all of you. 18For this same reason you also should be filled with joy and share that joy with me.
Paul Will Send Timothy and Epaphroditus
19I hope that the Lord Jesus will allow me to send Timothy to you soon so that I can receive some encouraging news about you. 20I don’t have anyone else like Timothy. He takes a genuine interest in your welfare. 21Everyone else looks after his own interests, not after those of Jesus Christ. 22But you know what kind of person Timothy proved to be. Like a father and son we worked hard together to spread the Good News. 23I hope to send him as soon as I see how things are going to turn out for me. 24But the Lord gives me confidence that I will come ⌞to visit you⌟ soon.
25I feel that I must send Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier—back to you. You sent him as your personal representative to help me in my need. 26He has been longing to see all of you and is troubled because you heard that he was sick. 27Indeed, he was so sick that he almost died. But God had mercy not only on him but also on me and kept me from having one sorrow on top of another. 28So I’m especially eager to send him to you. In this way you will have the joy of seeing him again and I will feel relieved. 29Give him a joyful Christian welcome. Make sure you honor people like Epaphroditus highly. 30He risked his life and almost died for the work of Christ in order to make up for the help you couldn’t give me.
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