Phili 2 | HCSB | STEP | If then there is any encouragement in Christ , if any consolation of love , if any fellowship with the Spirit , if any affection and mercy ,

Philippians 2

Christian Humility

1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, ^a if any fellowship with the Spirit, ^b if any affection and mercy, ^c 2 fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, ^d having the same love, ^e sharing the same feelings, focusing on one ^f goal. 3 Do nothing out of rivalry ^g or conceit, ^h but in humility ⁱ consider others as more important ^j than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, ^k but also for the interests of others. ^l

Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God ^m
as something to be used for His own advantage. ^{▼▼Or to be grasped, or to be held on to}
7 Instead He emptied Himself ^o
by assuming the form of a ^{▼▼slave: The strong Greek word doulos cannot be accurately translated in English by "servant" or "bond servant"; the HCSB translates this word as "slave," not out of insensitivity to the legitimate concerns of modern English speakers, but out of a commitment to accurately convey the brutal reality of the Roman empire's inhumane institution as well as the ownership called for by Christ.}slave, ^q
taking on the likeness of men. ^r
And when He had come as a man
in His external form,
8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death –
even to death on a cross. ^s
9 For this reason God highly exalted Him ^t
and gave Him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow ^u –
of those who are in heaven ^v and on earth
and under the earth ^w –
11 and every tongue ^x should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, ^{▼▼Gk kurios = Yahweh; Isa 42:8 LXX}
to the glory ^z of God the Father.

Lights in the World

12 So then, my dear friends, ^aa just as you have always obeyed, ^ab 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 working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling ^ac and arguing, ^ad 15 so that you may be blameless ^ae and pure, ^af children of God who are faultless ^ag in a crooked ^ah and perverted ^ai generation, ^aj among whom you shine like stars in the world. 16 Hold firmly to ^{▼▼Or Offer, or Hold out} the message ^al of life. Then I can boast ^am in the day of Christ ^an that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured out ^ao as a ^{▼▼drink offering: An offering of a specified amount of wine or beer given along with animal sacrifices; it was poured over the sacrifice before it was burned.}drink offering ^aq 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.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus ^ar to send Timothy ^as to you soon so that I also may be encouraged when I hear news about you. 20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21 all seek their own interests, ^at not those of Jesus Christ. ^au 22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will also come quickly. ^av

25 But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus ^aw – my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need ^ax – 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. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one grief on top of another. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice when you see him again and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in honor, 30 because he came close to death for the work ^ay of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.