1 If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation
of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and
compassion, 2 make my joy full, by being like-minded, having the same
love, being of one accord, of one mind; 3 doing nothing through rivalry or
through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;
4 each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to
the things of others.
5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who,
existing in the form of God, didn’t consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the
likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God
also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven,
those on earth, and those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in
my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who works in you both to will
and to work, for his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings
and disputes, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children
of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
among whom you are seen as lights in the world, 16 holding up the
word of life; that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I
didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain. 17 Yes, and if I am poured out on
the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.
18 In the same way, you also rejoice, and rejoice with me.
19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also
may be cheered up when I know how you are doing. 20 For I have no one else
like-minded, who will truly care about you. 21 For they all seek their
own, not the things of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know the proof of
him, that, as a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of
the gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how
it will go with me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will
come shortly. 25 But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus,
my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and minister to
my need; 26 since he longed for you all, and was very troubled, because
you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick, nearly to
death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I
might not have sorrow on sorrow. 28 I have sent him therefore the more
diligently, that, when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that
I may be the less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all
joy, and hold such in honor, 30 because for the work of Christ he came
near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your
service toward me.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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