2:1
So if in Christ there is anything that will move you, any incentive in love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any warmth or sympathy -- I appeal to you,
2:2
make my joy complete by being of a single mind, one in love, one in heart and one in mind.
2:3
Nothing is to be done out of jealousy or vanity; instead, out of humility of mind everyone should give preference to others,
2:4
everyone pursuing not selfish interests but those of others.
2:5
Make your own the mind of Christ Jesus:
2:6
Who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped.
2:7
But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are; and being in every way like a human being,
2:8
he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross.
2:9
And for this God raised him high, and gave him the name which is above all other names;
2:10
so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus
2:11
and that every tongue should acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
2:12
So, my dear friends, you have always been obedient; your obedience must not be limited to times when I am present. Now that I am absent it must be more in evidence, so work out your salvation in fear and trembling.
2:13
It is God who, for his own generous purpose, gives you the intention and the powers to act.
2:14
Let your behaviour be free of murmuring and complaining
2:15
so that you remain faultless and pure, unspoilt children of God surrounded by a deceitful and underhand brood, shining out among them like bright stars in the world,
2:16
proffering to it the Word of life. Then I shall have reason to be proud on the Day of Christ, for it will not be for nothing that I have run the race and toiled so hard.
2:17
Indeed, even if my blood has to be poured as a libation over your sacrifice and the offering of your faith, then I shall be glad and join in your rejoicing-
2:18
and in the same way, you must be glad and join in my rejoicing.
2:19
I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you soon, so that my mind may be set at rest when I hear how you are.
2:20
There is nobody else that I can send who is like him and cares as sincerely for your well-being;
2:21
they all want to work for themselves, not for Jesus Christ.
2:22
But you know what sort of person he has proved himself, working with me for the sake of the gospel like a son with his father.
2:23
That is the man, then, that I am hoping to send to you immediately I can make out what is going to happen to me;
2:24
but I am confident in the Lord that I shall come myself, too, before long.
2:25
Nevertheless I thought it essential to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and companion-in-arms since he came as your representative to look after my needs;
2:26
because he was missing you all and was worrying because you had heard that he was ill.
2:27
Indeed he was seriously ill and nearly died; but God took pity on him -- and not only on him but also on me, to spare me one grief on top of another.
2:28
So I am sending him back as promptly as I can so that you will have the joy of seeing him again, and that will be some comfort to me in my distress.
2:29
Welcome him in the Lord, then, with all joy; hold people like him in honour,
2:30
because it was for Christ's work that he came so near to dying, risking his life to do the duty to me which you could not do yourselves.
Previous
Next