[1] If there is therefore 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 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 murmurings and disputes,
[15] that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among 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 labor in vain.
[17] Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.
[18] In the same way, you also rejoice, 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 the proof of him, that, 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 counted 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 in honor,
[30] because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.