2
📚✭If✭ there is, therefore, any encouragement in Christ✭, if any comfort✭ of love, if any fellowship✭ of the Spirit, if any tender affections and mercies✭, 2 📚then make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 📚Let nothing be done through selfish motives✭ or self-esteem, but in humbleness of mind let everyone consider others better✭ than themselves. 4 📚No one should look only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.Jesus Christ the great example of renunciation
5 📚✭Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,
His deity
6 📚who, being in the form of God✭,
did not think it robbery to be equal with God✭,
His renunciation, humility, obedience
7 📚but made himself of no reputation✭
and took the form of a servant✭,
and was made in the likeness✭ of men.
8 📚And being found in appearance✭ as a man,
he humbled himself✭ and
became obedient✭ to death,
even the death of the cross✭.
His exaltation
9 📚Therefore✭ God has also highly exalted him✭
and given him a name✭
which is above every name,
10 📚so that at the name of Jesus
every knee would bow,
of those in heaven,
and those in 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✭.
Working out salvation
12 📚Therefore✭, my dearly loved ones, 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 is working in you✭ both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
14 📚✭Do everything without complaining and disputing, 15 📚that you may be blameless and sincere, the sons of God, without fault, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation✭, among whom you shine as lights✭ in the world, 16 📚holding forth the word of life✭. Thus I will be able to rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain✭, or laboured in vain. 17 📚Yes, and even if I am being poured out as a drink offering✭ on the sacrifice and service that come from your faith✭, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 📚For the same reason you also must be glad, and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 📚But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy✭ to you soon, that I also may be encouraged, when I know your state. 20 📚For I have no one else of the same mind✭, who will sincerely care about you. 21 📚✭For everyone seeks his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 📚But you know his proven character, that as a son✭ with his father, he has served with me in the gospel. 23 📚Therefore I hope to send him presently, as soon as I see how things will go with me. 24 📚But I trust in the Lord that I myself will come shortly.
25 📚But I have considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother✭ and companion in the work✭, and fellow soldier✭, who is your messenger, and the one who ministered to my needs✭. 26 📚For he has longed✭ for all of you, and has had a heavy heart, because you heard that he had been sick✭. 27 📚And indeed he was sick almost to death✭. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow✭. 28 📚✭Therefore I have sent him the more eagerly, so that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. 29 📚So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold such men in esteem✭. 30 📚Because it was for the work of Christ that he was near death, not regarding his life✭, to make up any deficiency in your service toward me.