¹ Then if there is any comfort in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tendernesses and compassions,

² fulfill my joy, that you think the same, having the same love, one in soul, minding the one thing,

³ doing nothing according to party spirit or self-glory, but in humility, esteeming one another to surpass themselves;

⁴ each not looking at their own things, but each also at the things of others.

⁵ For let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus,

⁶ who subsisting in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God,

⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, having become in the likeness of men

⁸ and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, having become obedient until death, even the death of a cross.

⁹ Because of this also God highly exalted Him and gave Him a name above every name,

¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus "every knee should bow," of heavenly ones, and earthly ones, and ones under the earth,

¹¹ and "every tongue should confess" that Jesus Christ is "Lord," to the glory of God the Father. Isa. 45:23

¹² So, then, my beloved, even as you always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, cultivate your salvation with fear and trembling,

¹³ for it is God who is working in you both to will and to work for the sake of His good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things without murmurings and disputings,

¹⁵ that you may be blameless and harmless, children of God, without fault in the midst of a crooked generation, even having been perverted, among whom you shine as luminaries in the world,

¹⁶ holding up a word of life, for a boast to me in the day of Christ, that I ran not in vain, nor labored in vain.

¹⁷ But if indeed I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice; yea, I rejoice with you all.

¹⁸ And you also rejoice in the same and rejoice with me.

¹⁹ But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I may also be of good cheer, knowing the things about you.

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

²¹ For all seek their own things, not the things of Christ Jesus.

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

²³ Then I hope to send this one at once, whenever I shall see the things about me.

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

²⁵ But I thought it needful to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker, and my fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister of my need,

²⁶ since he was longing for you all and has been troubled because you heard that he was sick.

²⁷ For indeed he was sick, coming near to death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him, but also me, lest I should have grief on grief.

²⁸ Therefore, I sent him more eagerly, that seeing him again you may rejoice, and I may be less grieved.

²⁹ Then receive him in the Lord with all joy and hold such in honor,

³⁰ that through the work of Christ he drew near to death, having disregarded his life, that he may fill up your lack of service toward me.