Christ’s Example of Humility
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any sparticipation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 tcomplete my joy by ubeing of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from vselfish ambition or wconceit, xbut in yhumility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 zLet each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 aHave this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,1 6 bwho, cthough dhe was in the form of God, edid not count fequality with God a thing to be grasped,2 7 but gemptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,3 hbeing born iin the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he jhumbled himself by becoming kobedient to the point of death, leven death on a cross. 9 mTherefore God has highly nexalted him and bestowed on him the name that is oabove every name, 10 so that at the pname of Jesus qevery knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue rconfess that sJesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my beloved, tas you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, uwork out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who vworks in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things wwithout grumbling or xdisputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a ycrooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as zlights in the world, 16 holding fast to the aword of life, so that in the day of Christ bI may be proud that I did not crun din vain or labor in vain. 17 eEven if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, fI am glad and grejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 hI hope in the Lord Jesus ito send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy’s4 proven worth, how as a json5 with a father khe has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and lI trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and mfellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So nreceive him in the Lord with all joy, and ohonor such men, 30 for he pnearly died6 for the work of Christ, risking his life qto complete what was lacking in your service to me.
Righteousness Through Faith in Christ
1 Finally, my brothers,1 rrejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the sdogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who tmutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the ucircumcision, who vworship by the Spirit of God2 and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the wflesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. xIf anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the yeighth day, zof the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a aHebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a bPharisee; 6 as to czeal, a dpersecutor of the church; as to erighteousness under the law,3 blameless. 7 But whatever fgain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, gI count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. hFor his sake I have 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 a irighteousness of my own that comes from the law, but jthat which comes through kfaith in Christ, the lrighteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the mpower of his resurrection, and may nshare his sufferings, obecoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may pattain the resurrection from the dead.
Straining Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already qperfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: rforgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 sI press on toward the goal for the tprize of the upward ucall of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are vmature think this way, and if in anything wyou think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 Brothers, xjoin in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 yTheir end is destruction, their god is their zbelly, and they glory in their shame, with aminds set on earthly things. 20 But bour citizenship is cin heaven, and dfrom it we eawait a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will ftransform our glowly body to be hlike his iglorious body, jby the power that enables him even to subject kall things to himself.
