 1 Therefore, if there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort in love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender+ mercies, 2 fulfill my joy: That you be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or selfcentered pride+, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. 4 Do not consider+ only those things of your own+ concern but also the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 6 Christ being in the form of God did not think it robbery to be equal with God. 7 But He made Himself of no reputation and took upon Himself+ the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in fashion as a man, Christ humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in Heaven and things in the Earth and things under the Earth. 11 Every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Therefore my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only 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 do of His good pleasure~. 14 Do all things without complaining~ and disputing 15 so that you may be blameless and harmless, the children+ of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. 16 Hold forth the Word of life so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, so that I have not run in vain nor labored in vain. 17 Yes, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I have joy and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same cause also, you should have joy and rejoice with me. 19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon+ so that I may also be of good comfort~ when I know your condition+. 20 For I have no one like minded who will naturally care for your condition+. 21 For all seek their own objectives, not the things that are Jesus Christ's. 22 But you know the proof of Him, that, like a son with his father, Timothy has served with me in the Gospel. 23 Therefore I hope to send him to you immediately+, as soon as I see how it will go with me. 24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself will also come to you soon+. 25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you, my brother, companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and one+ who ministered to my wants. 26 For he longed after you all and was full of sorrow+ because you had heard that he had been sick. 27 For indeed he was sick, near death. But God had mercy on him. Not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I sent him therefore all the more carefully so that, when you see him again, you may rejoice and so that I may be less sorrowful. 29 Therefore, receive him in the Lord with all gladness. Hold such as him in high reputation. 30 Because of the work of Christ, he was near death, not regarding his own life, in order to supply your lack of service toward me.
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