¹ If there be, therefore, any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of spirit, if any tender affections and compassions,

² Fill ye up my joy—that, the same thing, ye esteem, the same love, possessing, joined in soul, the one thing, esteeming,—

³ Nothing by way of faction, nothing by way of vain-glory,—but, in lowliness of mind, accounting, one another, superior to yourselves,—

⁴ Not, to your own things, severally looking, but, to the things of others, severally:—

⁵ The same thing, esteem, in yourselves, which also, in Christ Jesus, [ye esteem],—

⁶ Who, in form of God, subsisting, not, a thing to be seized, accounted the being equal with God,

⁷ But, himself, emptied, taking, a servant’s form, coming to be, in men’s likeness;

⁸ And, in fashion, being found, as a man, humbled himself, becoming obedient as far as death, yea, death upon a cross.

⁹ Wherefore also, God, uplifted him far on high, and favoured him with the name which is above every name,—

¹⁰ In order that, in the name of Jesus, every knee might bow—of beings in heaven, and on earth, and underground,—

¹¹ And, every tongue, might openly confess—that Jesus Christ is, Lord, unto the glory of God the Father.

¹² So, then, my beloved—even as ye have always obeyed, not [as] in my presence only, but, now, much more, in my absence, with fear and trembling, your own salvation, be working out;

¹³ For it is, God, who energiseth within you, both the desiring and the energising, in behalf of his good pleasure.

¹⁴ All things, be doing, apart from murmurings and disputings;

¹⁵ In order that ye may become faultless and inviolate, children of God, blameless amidst a crooked and perverted generation, amongst whom ye appear as luminaries in the world,

¹⁶ A word of light, holding forth,—as a matter of boasting unto me, for the day of Christ,—that, not in vain, I ran, nor, in vain, I toiled:—

¹⁷ Nay! if I am even to be poured out as a drink-offering, upon the sacrifice and public ministry of your faith, I rejoice, yea rejoice together with you all,—

¹⁸ For the same cause, moreover, do, ye also, rejoice, yea rejoice together with me.

¹⁹ I am hoping, however, in the Lord Jesus—Timothy, shortly, to send unto you, in order that, I also, may be of cheerful soul, when I have ascertained the things that concern you.

²⁰ For, no one, have I, of equal soul, who, genuinely, as to the things that concern you, will be anxious;

²¹ For, they all, their own things, do seek, not the things of Christ Jesus;

²² But, of the proof of him, be taking note,—that, as child, with father, with me, hath he done service for the glad-message;

²³ Him, indeed, therefore, am I hoping to send—as soon as I can look off from the things that concern myself,—forthwith.

²⁴ I am assured, however, in the Lord,—that I, myself, shall shortly come.

²⁵ Needful, nevertheless have I accounted it—Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, but your apostle and public minister to my need, to send unto you;

²⁶ Since he hath been longing to see, you all, and hath been in great distress, because ye had heard he was sick;—

²⁷ And, in fact, he was sick, nigh unto death; but, God, had mercy on him,—and, not on him only, but, on me also, lest, sorrow upon sorrow, I should have.

²⁸ The more promptly, therefore, have I sent him, that, seeing him again, ye may rejoice, and, I, the less sorrowful, may be.

²⁹ Be giving him welcome, therefore, in the Lord, with all joy; and, such as he, in honour, be holding,—

³⁰ Because, for the sake of the work of the Lord, unto death, he drew nigh, running hazard with his life, that he might fill up your lack of the public service, towards me.