Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 ^eI thank my God ^fin all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 ^gbecause of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began ^ha good work in you ⁱwill bring it to completion at ^jthe day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you ^kin my heart, for you are all ^lpartakers with me of grace,¹ both ^min my imprisonment and in ⁿthe defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For ^oGod is my witness, ^phow I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that ^qyour love may abound more and more, ^rwith knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, ^sand so be pure and blameless ^tfor the day of Christ, 11 filled ^uwith the fruit of righteousness that comes ^vthrough Jesus Christ, ^wto the glory and praise of God.

Christ’s Example of Humility

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from ^flove, any ^gparticipation in the Spirit, any ^haffection and sympathy, 2 ⁱcomplete my joy by being ^jof the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from ^kselfish ambition or ^lconceit, but in ^mhumility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you ⁿlook not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 ^oHave this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,¹ 6 ^pwho, though he was in ^qthe form of God, did not count equality with God ^ra thing to be grasped,² 7 but ^semptied himself, by taking the form of a ^tservant,^{3 u}being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by ^vbecoming obedient to the point of death, ^weven death on a cross. 9 ^xTherefore ^yGod has ^zhighly exalted him and bestowed on him ^athe name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus ^bevery knee should bow, ^cin heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and ^devery tongue confess that Jesus Christ is ^eLord, to the glory of God the Father.

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

1 Finally, my brothers,^{1 k}rejoice in the Lord. ^lTo write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

2 Look out for ^mthe dogs, look out for ⁿthe evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For ^owe are the circumcision, ^pwho worship ^qby the Spirit of God² and ^rglory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 ^sthough I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 ^tcircumcised on the eighth day, ^uof the people of Israel, ^vof the tribe of Benjamin, ^ua Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ^wa Pharisee; 6 ^xas to zeal, ^ya persecutor of the church; ^zas to righteousness under the law,³ blameless. 7 But ^awhatever gain I had, ^bI counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^cthe surpassing worth of ^dknowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^ehave suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having ^fa righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^gthat which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 ^hthat I may know him and ⁱthe power of his resurrection, and ^jmay share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may ^kattain the resurrection from the dead.

4 ^pRejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness¹ be known to everyone. ^qThe Lord is at hand; 6 ^rdo not be anxious about anything, ^sbut in everything by prayer and supplication ^twith thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And ^uthe peace of God, ^vwhich surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned² and ^wreceived and heard and seen ^xin me—practice these things, and ^ythe God of peace will be with you.

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be ^acontent. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and ^bhunger, abundance and ^cneed.