Philippians 2 — NETB

2Verse 1Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy,^{Verse 2}complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose.^{Verse 3}Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.^{Verse 4}Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.^{Verse 5}You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,^{Verse 6}who though he existed in the form of God
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
^{Verse 7}but emptied himself
by taking on the form of a slave,
by looking like other men,
and by sharing in human nature.
^{Verse 8}He humbled himself,
by becoming obedient to the point of death
– even death on a cross!
^{Verse 9}As a result God exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
^{Verse 10}so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow
– in heaven and on earth and under the earth –
^{Verse 11}and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of God the Father.

Lights in the World

^{Verse 12}So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence,^{Verse 13}for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.^{Verse 14}Do everything without grumbling or arguing,^{Verse 15}so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world^{Verse 16}by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.^{Verse 17}But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you.^{Verse 18}And in the same way you also should be glad and rejoice together with me.

Models for Ministry

^{Verse 19}Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you.^{Verse 20}For there is no one here like him who will readily demonstrate his deep concern for you.^{Verse 21}Others are busy with their own concerns, not those of Jesus Christ.^{Verse 22}But you know his qualifications, that like a son working with his father, he served with me in advancing the gospel.^{Verse 23}So I hope to send him as soon as I know more about my situation,^{Verse 24}though I am confident in the Lord that I too will be coming to see you soon.^{Verse 25}But for now I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to me in my need.^{Verse 26}Indeed, he greatly missed all of you and was distressed because you heard that he had been ill.^{Verse 27}In fact he became so ill that he nearly died. But God showed mercy to him – and not to him only, but also to me – so that I would not have grief on top of grief.^{Verse 28}Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you can rejoice and I can be free from anxiety.^{Verse 29}So welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,^{Verse 30}since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me.