Christian Humility

¹If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,[#2:1 Rm 5:8; 15:30; 2Th 2:16; 1Jn 3:16; 4:9–10,16; #2:1 1Co 12:13; 2Co 13:13; Eph 4:3; #2:1 Col 3:12]

²make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.[#2:2 Rm 12:16; 15:5; 2Co 13:11; Php 4:2; #2:2 2Th 1:3; 1Jn 3:16; #2:2 Jn 11:52]

³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.[#2:3 Rm 2:8; #2:3 Gl 5:26; #2:3 Col 3:12; #2:3 Rm 13:1; Php 3:8; 4:7; 1Pt 2:13]

⁴Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.[#2:4 Rm 15:1; #2:4 Lv 19:18; Mk 10:45; 12:31; 1Co 10:24; 13:5; Php 2:21]

Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

⁵Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

Lights in the World

¹²Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.[#2:12 Phm 1; #2:12 Mk 1:27; Ac 16:14,32–33; Rm 6:12]

¹³For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

¹⁴Do everything without grumbling and arguing,[#2:14 Jn 7:12; Ac 6:1; 1Pt 4:9; #2:14 1Tm 2:8]

¹⁵so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world,[#2:15 Lk 1:6; #2:15 Mt 10:16; Rm 16:19; #2:15 Jd 24; #2:15 Lk 3:5; Ac 2:40; 1Pt 2:18; #2:15 Mt 17:17; #2:15 Dt 32:5]

¹⁶by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labour for nothing.[#2:16 Lk 8:21; Jn 18:32; Ac 17:11; Heb 4:12; #2:16 Rm 2:17; Gl 6:4; Php 1:26; #2:16 Php 1:6,15]

¹⁷But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.[#2:17 Php 1:7; #2:17 Ex 25:29; Nm 28:7]

¹⁸In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you.[#2:19 Lk 24:3; #2:19 Ac 16:1; 1Tm 1:2]

²⁰For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests;

²¹all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.[#2:21 Rm 15:1; 2Tm 3:2; #2:21 1Co 10:24; Php 1:15]

²²But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father.

²³Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.

²⁴I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.[#2:24 Php 1:7]

²⁵But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus #– #my brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need #– #[#2:25 Php 4:18; #2:25 Mt 6:8]

²⁶since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was ill.

²⁷Indeed, he was so ill that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.

²⁸For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious.

²⁹Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honour,

³⁰because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.[#2:30 Mk 14:6; 2Co 9:8; Gl 3:10; Jms 2:14–26]