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there is any encouragement you have from Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 then make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, being one in spirit and one in purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others as being better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in essence part of God,
did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself,
and took the form of a slave,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled Himself
and became obedient to death -
even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God also exalted Him highly
and gave Him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess the Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who is at work in you to will and to act for His good purpose.
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, in which you shine like stars in the world, 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life, so I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labour for nothing.
17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I also may be encouraged when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. 21 For all of them seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy’s proven character, because like a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I trust in the Lord that I myself will also come shortly.
25 But I think it is necessary to send you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, was also your messenger and the one whom you sent to minister to my need; 26 since he has been longing for all of you, and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that you may rejoice when you see him again, and I may be less anxious. 29 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honour men like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.