¹ If therefore any exhortation is in Christ, if any encouragement of love, if any fellowship of spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

² fulfill my joy, that ye may think the same way, having the same love, being knit in soul, thinking in oneness,

³ in nothing according to selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility considering each other surpassing yourselves.

⁴ Look ye out each man not to things of yourselves, but each man also to the things of others.

⁵ Indeed have this way to think in you, that also was in Christ Jesus,

⁶ who, existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal to God something to seize and hold.

⁷ But he emptied himself, having taken a form of a bondman, having become in a likeness of men.

⁸ And having been found in a form like a man, he lowered himself, having become obedient until death, even of death from a cross.

⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name above every name,

¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of the heavenly, and the earthly, and the sub-earthly,

¹¹ and that every tongue should acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹² Therefore my beloved, just as ye have always obeyed, not only as 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 desire and to work for approval.

¹⁴ Do all things without grumblings and arguments,

¹⁵ so that ye may become blameless and pure children of God, blameless in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

¹⁶ Holding firm the word of life, for a boast by me in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.

¹⁷ Yet even if I am poured out a libation upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

¹⁸ And in the same way, ye also be glad and rejoice with me.

¹⁹ But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I also may be cheerful when I know the things about you.

²⁰ For I have no man like-minded who will genuinely care for the things about you.

²¹ For they all seek the things of themselves, not the things of Christ Jesus.

²² But ye know the proof of him, that, as a child to a father, he served with me for the good news.

²³ Indeed therefore I hope to send this man immediately, whenever I may focus on the things concerning me.

²⁴ And I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come soon.

²⁵ But I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and co-workman and fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need,

²⁶ since he was longing for you all, and distressed because ye heard that he was sick.

²⁷ For also he was sick, near death, but God was merciful to him, and not only him, but also me, so that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.

²⁸ Therefore I sent him more urgently, so that having seen him again, ye may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful.

²⁹ Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men esteemed.

³⁰ Because for sake of the work of the Christ he came near the point of death, handing over his life so that he might fill up the deficiency of your service toward me.