Chapter 2
1 If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ , if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit , if any tender mercies and compassion ,
2 make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord , of one mind ;
3 doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit , but in humility , each counting others better than himself ;
4 each of you not just looking to his own things , but each of you also to the things of others .
5 Have this in your mind , which was also in Christ Jesus ,
6 who , existing in the form of God , didn’ t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself , taking the form of a servant , being made in the likeness of men .
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself , becoming obedient to the point of death , yes , the death of the cross .
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him , and gave to him the name which is above every name ,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow , of those in heaven , those on earth , and those under the earth ,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord , to the glory of God the Father .
12 So then , my beloved, even as you have always obeyed , not only in my presence , but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling .
13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure .
14 Do all things without complaining and arguing ,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation , amongst whom you are seen as lights in the world ,
16 holding up the word of life , that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run in vain nor labour in vain .
17 Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith , I am glad and rejoice with you all .
18 In the same way, you also should be glad and rejoice with me .
19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon , that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing.
20 For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you .
21 For they all seek their own , not the things of Jesus Christ .
22 But you know that he has proved himself . As a child serves a father , so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News .
23 Therefore I hope to send him at once , as soon as I see how it will go with me .
24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly .
25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus , my brother, fellow worker , fellow soldier , and your apostle and servant of my need ,
26 since he longed for you all , and was very troubled because you had heard that he was sick .
27 For indeed he was sick nearly to death , but God had mercy on him , and not on him only , but on me also , that I might not have sorrow on sorrow .
28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently , that when you see him again , you may rejoice , and that I may be the less sorrowful.
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy , and hold such people in honour,
30 because for the work of Christ he came near to death , risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service towards me .