Philippians 2:12-4:23

New American Standard Bible

¹² So then, my beloved, ^(A)just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own ^(B)salvation with ^(C)fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is ^(D)God who is at work in you, both to ^[a]desire and to work ^(E)for His good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things without ^(F)complaining or arguments; ¹⁵ so that you will ^[b]prove yourselves to be ^(G)blameless and innocent, ^(H)children of God above reproach in the midst of a ^(I)crooked and perverse generation, among whom you ^[c](J)appear as ^[d]lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding firmly the word of life, so that on ^(K)the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not ^(L)run in vain nor ^(M)labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being ^(N)poured out as a drink offering upon ^(O)the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. ¹⁸ You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ But I hope, ^[e]in the Lord Jesus, to ^(P)send ^(Q)Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. ²⁰ For I have no one else ^(R)of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. ²¹ For they all ^(S)seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. ²² But you know ^(T)of his proven character, that ^(U)he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel ^(V)like a child serving his father. ^23 (W)Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; ²⁴ and ^(X)I trust in the Lord that I myself will also be coming shortly. ²⁵ But I thought it necessary to send to you ^(Y)Epaphroditus, my brother and ^(Z)fellow worker and ^(AA)fellow soldier, who is also your ^[f](AB)messenger and ^(AC)minister to my need, ²⁶ because he was longing ^[g]for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷ For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. ^29 (AD)Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and ^(AE)hold people like him in high regard, ³⁰ because he came close to death ^[h](AF)for the work of Christ, risking his life to ^(AG)compensate ^[i]for your absence in your service to me.

The Goal of Life

3 Finally, my brothers and sisters, ^(AH)rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.

² Beware of the ^(AI)dogs, beware of the ^(AJ)evil workers, beware of the ^[j]false circumcision; ³ for ^(AK)we are the true ^[k]circumcision, who ^(AL)worship in the Spirit of God and take ^(AM)pride in ^(AN)Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, ⁴ although ^(AO)I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: ^5 (AP)circumcised the eighth day, of the ^(AQ)nation of Israel, of the ^(AR)tribe of Benjamin, a ^(AS)Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, ^(AT)a Pharisee; ⁶ as to zeal, ^(AU)a persecutor of the church; as to the ^(AV)righteousness which is in the Law, found ^(AW)blameless.

⁷ But ^(AX)whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. ⁸ More than that, I count all things to be loss ^[l]in view of the surpassing value of ^[m](AY)knowing ^(AZ)Christ Jesus my Lord, ^[n]for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, ⁹ and may be found in Him, not having ^(BA)a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, ^(BB)the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, ¹⁰ that I may ^(BC)know Him and ^(BD)the power of His resurrection and ^[o](BE)the fellowship of His sufferings, being ^(BF)conformed to His death; ¹¹ if somehow I may ^(BG)attain to the resurrection from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already ^[p](BH)grasped it all or have already ^(BI)become perfect, but I press on if I may also ^(BJ)take hold of that ^[q]for which I ^(BK)was even taken hold of by ^(BL)Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: ^(BM)forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I ^(BN)press on toward the goal for the prize of the ^(BO)upward call of God in ^(BP)Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Therefore, all who are ^[r](BQ)mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a ^(BR)different attitude, ^(BS)God will reveal that to you as well; ¹⁶ however, let’s keep ^[s](BT)living by that same standard to which we have attained.

¹⁷ Brothers and sisters, ^(BU)join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the ^(BV)pattern you have in us. ¹⁸ For ^(BW)many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I ^(BX)weep, that they are the enemies of ^(BY)the cross of Christ, ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their ^[t](BZ)appetite, and whose ^(CA)glory is in their shame, who ^(CB)have their minds on earthly things. ²⁰ For ^(CC)our ^[u]citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly ^(CD)wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ who will ^(CE)transform the body of our lowly condition into ^(CF)conformity with ^[v]His ^(CG)glorious body, ^(CH)by the exertion of the power that He has even to ^(CI)subject all things to Himself.

Think of Excellence

4 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, ^[w]whom I ^(CJ)long to see, my joy and crown, ^(CK)stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

² I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to ^[x](CL)live in harmony in the Lord. ³ Indeed, true ^[y]companion, I ask you also, help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement as well as the rest of my ^(CM)fellow workers, whose ^(CN)names are in the book of life.

^4 (CO)Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. ^(CP)The Lord is ^[z]near. ^6 (CQ)Do not ^[aa]be anxious about anything, but in everything by ^(CR)prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And ^(CS)the peace of God, which surpasses all ^[ab]comprehension, will ^(CT)guard your hearts and ^(CU)minds in ^(CV)Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, ^(CW)whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is ^[ac]lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen ^(CX)in me, practice these things, and ^(CY)the God of peace will be with you.

God’s Provisions

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last ^(CZ)you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked an opportunity to act. ¹¹ Not that I speak ^[ad]from need, for I have learned to be ^[ae](DA)content in whatever circumstances I am. ¹² I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going ^(DB)hungry, both of having abundance and ^(DC)suffering need. ¹³ I can do all things ^[af]through Him who ^(DD)strengthens me. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, you have done well to ^(DE)share with me in my difficulty.

¹⁵ You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the ^[ag](DF)first preaching of the gospel, after I left ^(DG)Macedonia, no church ^(DH)shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone; ¹⁶ for even in ^(DI)Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. ^17 (DJ)Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek the ^[ah]profit which increases to your account. ¹⁸ But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am ^[ai]amply supplied, having received from ^(DK)Epaphroditus ^[aj]what you have sent, ^[ak](DL)a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And ^(DM)my God will supply ^[al]all your needs according to His ^(DN)riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ Now to ^(DO)our God and Father ^(DP)be the glory ^[am]forever and ever. Amen.

²¹ Greet every ^[an]saint in Christ Jesus. ^(DQ)The brothers who are with me greet you. ^22 (DR)All the ^[ao](DS)saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

^23 (DT)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ ^(DU)be with your spirit.