Philippians 2
New Living Translation
Have the Attitude of Christ
2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,[a]
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[b];
he took the humble position of a slave[c]
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,[d]
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Shine Brightly for Christ
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God,[e] just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.
Paul Commends Timothy
19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.
Paul Commends Epaphroditus
25 Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.
28 So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. 29 Welcome him in the Lord’s love[f] and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.
Philippians 2
New American Standard Bible
Be like Christ
2 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any (A)fellowship of the Spirit, if any [a](B)affection and compassion, 2 (C)make my joy complete [b]by (D)being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing [c]from [d](E)selfishness or (F)empty conceit, but with humility (G)consider one another as more important than yourselves; 4 (H)do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 (I)Have this attitude [e]in yourselves which was also in (J)Christ Jesus, 6 who, as He already (K)existed in the (L)form of God, (M)did not consider equality with God something to be [f]grasped, 7 but [g](N)emptied Himself by taking the form of a (O)bond-servant and [h](P)being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, (Q)He humbled Himself by becoming (R)obedient to the point of death: (S)death [i]on a cross. 9 (T)For this reason also God (U)highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him (V)the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus (W)every knee will bow, of (X)those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is (Y)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 So then, my beloved, (Z)just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own (AA)salvation with (AB)fear and trembling; 13 for it is (AC)God who is at work in you, both to [j]desire and to work (AD)for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things without (AE)complaining or arguments; 15 so that you will [k]prove yourselves to be (AF)blameless and innocent, (AG)children of God above reproach in the midst of a (AH)crooked and perverse generation, among whom you [l](AI)appear as [m]lights in the world, 16 holding firmly the word of life, so that on (AJ)the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not (AK)run in vain nor (AL)labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being (AM)poured out as a drink offering upon (AN)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, [n]in the Lord Jesus, to (AO)send (AP)Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20 For I have no one else (AQ)of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all (AR)seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know (AS)of his proven character, that (AT)he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel (AU)like a child serving his father. 23 (AV)Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; 24 and (AW)I trust in the Lord that I myself will also be coming shortly. 25 But I thought it necessary to send to you (AX)Epaphroditus, my brother and (AY)fellow worker and (AZ)fellow soldier, who is also your [o](BA)messenger and (BB)minister to my need, 26 because he was longing [p]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 (BC)Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and (BD)hold people like him in high regard, 30 because he came close to death [q](BE)for the work of Christ, risking his life to (BF)compensate [r]for your absence in your service to me.
Footnotes
- Philippians 2:1 Lit inward parts
- Philippians 2:2 Lit that you be
- Philippians 2:3 Lit according to
- Philippians 2:3 Or contentiousness
- Philippians 2:5 Or among
- Philippians 2:6 Or seized
- Philippians 2:7 I.e., set aside His divine rights
- Philippians 2:7 Or having come to be
- Philippians 2:8 Lit of
- Philippians 2:13 Or be willing
- Philippians 2:15 Or become
- Philippians 2:15 Or shine
- Philippians 2:15 Or luminaries, stars
- Philippians 2:19 Or trusting in
- Philippians 2:25 Lit apostle
- Philippians 2:26 One early ms to see you all
- Philippians 2:30 Lit because of
- Philippians 2:30 Lit your deficiency of service
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
