Philippians 2:1–30

¹ Therefore if you have 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 purpose. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, 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 exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ¹² Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³ For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose. ¹⁴ Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world ¹⁶ as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run 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 am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸ So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. ¹⁹ Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing. ²⁰ I have nobody else like him who will genuinely care for your needs. ²¹ For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²² But you know Timothy’s proven worth, that as a child with his father he has served with me to advance the gospel. ²³ So I hope to send him as soon as I see what happens with me. ²⁴ And I trust in the Lord that I myself will come soon. ²⁵ But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs. ²⁶ For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. ²⁷ He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on… ²⁸ …