Philippians

Philippians 2

Think the Same Thing

1 If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any sharing of spirit, if any inward parts and compassions, 2 fill up my joy: that you think the same thing, having the same love, joined in soul, thinking the one thing; 3 nothing according to selfish ambition or according to empty glory, but in lowliness of mind counting one another as surpassing yourselves, 4 each of you looking not at your own things, but each of you also at the things of others. 5 Think this among yourselves, which also was in Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

coming to be in the likeness of human beings.

And being found in appearance as a human being,

8 he brought himself low,

becoming obedient as far as death —

and death of a cross.

9 For this reason God also greatly exalted him

and granted him the name that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,

of those in the heavens and on the earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Work Out Your Own Rescue

12 So then, my beloved, as you have always obeyed — not as in my coming only, but now much more in my absence — work out your own rescue with fear and trembling; 13 for God is the one at work in you, both the willing and the working, for the sake of his good pleasure.

14 Do everything without grumblings and reasonings, 15 so that you may become blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, for a boast to me on the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. 17 But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and public service of your faith, I rejoice, and I rejoice together with all of you. 18 And in the same way you also rejoice, and rejoice together with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19 And I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be of good soul when I know the things about you. 20 For I have no one equal in soul who will genuinely be anxious about the things concerning you; 21 for they all seek their own things, not the things of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know what he is proved to be: that as a child with a father, he served with me for the good news. 23 So him I hope to send, as soon as I see how things go with me; 24 and I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.

25 But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus — my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your apostle and public servant for my need — 26 since he was longing for all of you and was in distress because you heard that he had been sick. 27 For indeed he was sick, close to death; but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 So I sent him all the more eagerly, so that seeing him again you may rejoice and I may be less sorrowful. 29 So welcome him in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honor, 30 because for the work of Christ he came near as far as death, gambling with his life so that he might fill up what was lacking in your public service to me.