Live in Harmony

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility consider one another better than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look carefully not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Jesus Humbled Himself

⁵ Indeed,^[a] let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. ⁶ Though he was by nature God,^[b] he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed,^{[c] 7} but he emptied himself by taking the nature^[d] of a servant. When he was born in human likeness, and his appearance was like that of any other man,^{[e] 8} he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lights in the World

¹² So then, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed, not only when I was with you, but also now much more in my absence, continue to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³ In fact, it is God who is working in you, both to will and to work, for the sake of his good pleasure. ¹⁴ Do everything without complaining and arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish among a crooked and perverted generation. You shine among them like lights in the world, ¹⁶ as you hold on to^[f] the word of life. Then I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I continue to be glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸ In the same way, also be glad and rejoice with me.

Two Faithful Workers

¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered when I receive news about you. ²⁰ To be sure, I have no one else like him,^[g] who will be genuinely concerned about your welfare. ²¹ For, the others all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²² But you know Timothy’s proven character, that as a child for his father, he served with me in the gospel. ²³ So he is the one I hope to send just as soon as I see how things go with me. ²⁴ But I have confidence in the Lord that I myself will be coming soon too.

²⁵ I also considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as the one you sent to serve me in my need. ²⁶ I sent him because he was longing for^[h] all of you and was distressed, because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷ As a matter of fact, he was sick, nearly to death, 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 Now I am especially eager to send him, so that you may rejoice when you see him again, and I may be relieved. ²⁹ Therefore, receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard, ³⁰ because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life in order to fill in what was lacking in your service to me.