Christ's Example of Humility

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from ^(A)love, any ^(B)participation in the Spirit, any ^(C)affection and sympathy, ^2 (D)complete my joy by being ^(E)of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from ^(F)selfish ambition or ^(G)conceit, but in ^(H)humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you ^(I)look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ^5 (J)Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,^{[a] 6 (K)}who, though he was in ^(L)the form of God, did not count equality with God ^(M)a thing to be grasped,^{[b] 7} but ^(N)emptied himself, by taking the form of a ^(O)servant,^{[c] (P)}being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by ^(Q)becoming obedient to the point of death, ^(R)even death on a cross. ^9 (S)Therefore ^(T)God has ^(U)highly exalted him and bestowed on him ^(V)the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus ^(W)every knee should bow, ^(X)in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and ^(Y)every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is ^(Z)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lights in the World

¹² Therefore, my beloved, ^(AA)as you have always ^(AB)obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for ^(AC)it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for ^(AD)his good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things ^(AE)without grumbling or ^(AF)disputing, ¹⁵ that you may be blameless and innocent, ^(AG)children of God ^(AH)without blemish ^(AI)in the midst of ^(AJ)a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine ^(AK)as lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding fast to ^(AL)the word of life, so that in ^(AM)the day of Christ ^(AN)I may be proud that ^(AO)I did not run in vain or labor in vain. ¹⁷ Even if I am to be ^(AP)poured out as a drink offering upon ^(AQ)the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸ Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus ^(AR)to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. ²⁰ For I have no one ^(AS)like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. ²¹ For they all ^(AT)seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²² But you know Timothy's^{[d] (AU)}proven worth, how ^(AV)as a son^[e] with a father ^(AW)he has served with me in the gospel. ²³ I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, ²⁴ and ^(AX)I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

²⁵ I have thought it necessary to send to you ^(AY)Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and ^(AZ)fellow soldier, and your messenger and ^(BA)minister to my need, ²⁶ for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. ²⁷ Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. ²⁹ So ^(BB)receive him in the Lord with all joy, and ^(BC)honor such men, ³⁰ for he nearly died^{[f] (BD)}for the work of Christ, risking his life ^(BE)to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

3 Finally, my brothers,^{[g] (BF)}rejoice in the Lord. ^(BG)To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

² Look out for ^(BH)the dogs, look out for ^(BI)the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. ³ For ^(BJ)we are the circumcision, ^(BK)who worship ^(BL)by the Spirit of God^[h] and ^(BM)glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ^4 (BN)though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ^5 (BO)circumcised on the eighth day, ^(BP)of the people of Israel, ^(BQ)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(BR)a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ^(BS)a Pharisee; ^6 (BT)as to zeal, ^(BU)a persecutor of the church; ^(BV)as to righteousness under the law,^[i] blameless. ⁷ But ^(BW)whatever gain I had, ^(BX)I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^(BY)the surpassing worth of ^(BZ)knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^(CA)have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having ^(CB)a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^(CC)that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ^10 (CD)that I may know him and ^(CE)the power of his resurrection, and ^(CF)may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may ^(CG)attain the resurrection from the dead.

Straining Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already ^(CH)obtained this or ^(CI)am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: ^(CJ)forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for ^(CK)the prize of the upward ^(CL)call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are ^(CM)mature think this way, and if in anything ^(CN)you think otherwise, ^(CO)God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶ Only ^(CP)let us hold true to what we have attained.

¹⁷ Brothers, ^(CQ)join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk ^(CR)according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸ For ^(CS)many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you ^(CT)even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. ^19 (CU)Their end is destruction, ^(CV)their god is their belly, and ^(CW)they glory in their shame, with ^(CX)minds set on earthly things. ²⁰ But ^(CY)our citizenship is in heaven, and ^(CZ)from it we ^(DA)await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform ^(DB)our lowly body ^(DC)to be like his glorious body, ^(DD)by the power that enables him even ^(DE)to subject all things to himself.

4 Therefore, my brothers,^[j] whom I love and ^(DF)long for, ^(DG)my joy and ^(DH)crown, ^(DI)stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer

² I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to ^(DJ)agree in the Lord. ³ Yes, I ask you also, true companion,^[k] help these women, who have labored^[l] side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, ^(DK)whose names are in the book of life.

^4 (DL)Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness^[m] be known to everyone. ^(DM)The Lord is at hand; ^6 (DN)do not be anxious about anything, ^(DO)but in everything by prayer and supplication ^(DP)with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And ^(DQ)the peace of God, ^(DR)which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned^[n] and ^(DS)received and heard and seen ^(DT)in me—practice these things, and ^(DU)the God of peace will be with you.

God's Provision

¹⁰ I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length ^(DV)you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be ^(DW)content. ¹² I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and ^(DX)hunger, abundance and ^(DY)need. ¹³ I can do all things ^(DZ)through him who strengthens me.

¹⁴ Yet it was kind of you ^(EA)to share^[o] my trouble. ¹⁵ And you Philippians yourselves know that ^(EB)in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, ^(EC)no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. ¹⁶ Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. ^17 (ED)Not that I seek the gift, but I seek ^(EE)the fruit that increases to your credit.^{[p] 18} I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, ^(EF)having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, ^(EG)a fragrant offering, ^(EH)a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God ^(EI)will supply every need of yours ^(EJ)according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ To ^(EK)our God and Father be ^(EL)glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

²¹ Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. ^(EM)The brothers who are with me greet you. ^22 (EN)All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.

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

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^(B)by the will of God, and Timothy ^(C)our brother,

² To the ^(D)saints and faithful brothers^[a] in Christ at Colossae:

^(E)Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

^3 (F)We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ since we heard of ^(G)your faith in Christ Jesus and of ^(H)the love that you have for all the saints, ⁵ because of ^(I)the hope ^(J)laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in ^(K)the word of the truth, the gospel, ⁶ which has come to you, as indeed ^(L)in the whole world it is ^(M)bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you ^(N)heard it and understood ^(O)the grace of God in truth, ⁷ just as you learned it from ^(P)Epaphras our beloved ^(Q)fellow servant.^[b] He is ^(R)a faithful minister of Christ on your^[c] behalf ⁸ and has made known to us your ^(S)love in the Spirit.

⁹ And so, ^(T)from the day we heard, ^(U)we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that ^(V)you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all ^(W)spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰ so as ^(X)to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, ^(Y)fully pleasing to him: ^(Z)bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ^11 (AA)being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for ^(AB)all endurance and patience ^(AC)with joy; ^12 (AD)giving thanks^[d] to the Father, who has qualified you^[e] to share in ^(AE)the inheritance of the saints in light. ¹³ He ^(AF)has delivered us from ^(AG)the domain of darkness and transferred us to ^(AH)the kingdom of ^(AI)his beloved Son, ^14 (AJ)in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Preeminence of Christ

^15 (AK)He is the image of ^(AL)the invisible God, ^(AM)the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by^[f] him all things were created, ^(AN)in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether ^(AO)thrones or ^(AP)dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created ^(AQ)through him and for him. ¹⁷ And ^(AR)he is before all things, and in him all things ^(AS)hold together. ¹⁸ And ^(AT)he is the head of the body, the church. He is ^(AU)the beginning, ^(AV)the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹ For ^(AW)in him all the ^(AX)fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and ^(AY)through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, ^(AZ)making peace ^(BA)by the blood of his cross.

^21 (BB)And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, ^(BC)doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled ^(BD)in his body of flesh by his death, ^(BE)in order to present you holy and blameless and ^(BF)above reproach before him, ^23 (BG)if indeed you continue in the faith, ^(BH)stable and steadfast, not shifting from ^(BI)the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed ^(BJ)in all creation^[g] under heaven, ^(BK)and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Paul's Ministry to the Church

²⁴ Now ^(BL)I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh ^(BM)I am filling up ^(BN)what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ^(BO)for the sake of his body, that is, the church, ^25 (BP)of which I became a minister according to ^(BQ)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ^26 (BR)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ^27 (BS)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are ^(BT)the riches of the glory of ^(BU)this mystery, which is Christ in you, ^(BV)the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(BW)we may present everyone ^(BX)mature in Christ. ²⁹ For this ^(BY)I toil, ^(BZ)struggling ^(CA)with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

2 For I want you to know ^(CB)how great a ^(CC)struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, ² that ^(CD)their hearts may be encouraged, being ^(CE)knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of ^(CF)God's mystery, which is Christ, ^3 (CG)in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I say this in order ^(CH)that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. ⁵ For ^(CI)though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your ^(CJ)good order and ^(CK)the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ

^6 (CL)Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ^7 (CM)rooted and ^(CN)built up in him and ^(CO)established in the faith, just ^(CP)as you were taught, abounding ^(CQ)in thanksgiving.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive by ^(CR)philosophy and ^(CS)empty deceit, according to ^(CT)human tradition, according to the ^(CU)elemental spirits^[h] of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For ^(CV)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells ^(CW)bodily, ¹⁰ and ^(CX)you have been filled in him, who is ^(CY)the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹ In him also ^(CZ)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by ^(DA)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ^12 (DB)having been buried with him in baptism, in which ^(DC)you were also raised with him through faith in ^(DD)the powerful working of God, ^(DE)who raised him from the dead. ^13 (DF)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God ^(DG)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by ^(DH)canceling ^(DI)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ^15 (DJ)He disarmed the rulers and authorities^[i] and ^(DK)put them to open shame, by ^(DL)triumphing over them in him.^[j]

Let No One Disqualify You

¹⁶ Therefore let no one ^(DM)pass judgment on you ^(DN)in questions of food and drink, or with regard to ^(DO)a festival or ^(DP)a new moon or a Sabbath. ^17 (DQ)These are a shadow of the things to come, but ^(DR)the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one ^(DS)disqualify you, ^(DT)insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, ^(DU)going on in detail about visions,^{[k] (DV)}puffed up without reason by ^(DW)his sensuous mind, ¹⁹ and ^(DX)not ^(DY)holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

²⁰ If with Christ ^(DZ)you died to the ^(EA)elemental spirits of the world, ^(EB)why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— ^21 (EC)“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” ²² (^(ED)referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to ^(EE)human precepts and teachings? ²³ These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in ^(EF)promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are ^(EG)of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.