效法基督

所以,如果你們在基督裡受到鼓勵,得到愛的安慰,與聖靈相通,有慈悲和憐憫之心, 就要同心合意,彼此相愛,靈裡合一,思想一致,好讓我的喜樂更充足。 凡事不可自私自利、愛慕虛榮,要心存謙卑,看別人比自己強。 各人不要只顧自己的事,也要為別人的需要著想。 你們應當有基督耶穌那樣的心腸。

祂雖然本質上是上帝,
卻沒有緊緊抓住自己與上帝平等的地位不放,
反而甘願放下一切,
取了奴僕的形像,
降生為人的樣子。
祂以人的樣子出現後,
就自願卑微,順服至死,
而且死在十字架上。
因此,上帝將祂升為至尊,
賜給祂超乎萬名之上的名,
10 使一切天上的、
地上的和地底下的,
無不屈膝跪拜在耶穌的名下,
11 無不口稱耶穌基督是主,
將榮耀歸於父上帝。

暗世明燈

12 所以,我親愛的弟兄姊妹,既然我在你們那裡的時候,你們一向都很順服;如今我不在你們那裡,你們更要順服,要戰戰兢兢地活出得救後應有的生命。 13 因為你們立志和行事都是上帝在你們心中工作,為要成就祂美好的旨意。

14 無論做什麼事,都不要抱怨,也不要與人爭論, 15 好使你們在這個彎曲敗壞的時代中無可指責、誠實無偽,作上帝純潔無瑕的兒女,如同明光照耀在世上, 16 堅守生命之道。這樣,到了基督再來的時候,我可以誇口自己沒有空跑一場,也沒有白費功夫。 17 你們的信心就是獻給上帝的事奉和祭物,即使在上面澆奠我的生命,我也很喜樂,並且和你們大家一同喜樂。 18 同樣,你們也要喜樂,要和我一同喜樂。

保羅的得力同工

19 如果主耶穌許可,我希望儘快派提摩太去你們那裡,我好知道你們的近況,心裡得到安慰。 20 因為沒有人像他那樣跟我一同真正關心你們的事。 21 別人都只顧自己的事,並不關心耶穌基督的事。 22 但你們知道提摩太的為人,我與他情同父子,一起事奉和傳揚福音。 23 所以,我的案子一旦明朗了,我會立刻派他去見你們。 24 我深信如果主許可,我自己很快也會去你們那裡。

25 另外,我覺得有必要讓以巴弗提回到你們那裡。他是我的弟兄、同工和戰友,也是你們差遣來服侍我、供應我需用的。 26 他很想念你們,並且感到不安,因為你們聽說了他患病的事。 27 他確實病了,幾乎喪命;但上帝憐憫了他,不但憐憫他,也憐憫了我,沒讓我憂上加憂。 28 所以,我想儘快派他回去與你們相聚,好讓你們喜樂,也可以減少我的掛慮。 29 你們要在主裡歡歡喜喜地接待他,而且要敬重像他這樣的人。 30 他為了基督的工作,將生死置之度外,幾乎喪命,以彌補你們服侍我的不足之處。

So oun if ei there is any tis encouragement paraklēsis in en Christ Christos, if ei any tis comfort paramythion from love agapē, if ei any tis fellowship koinōnia in the Spirit pneuma, if ei any tis affection splanchnon and kai compassion oiktirmos, make plēroō my egō · ho joy chara complete by hina · ho being like-minded autos, having echō the ho same autos love agapē, united sympsychos in spirit , with a ho single heis purpose phroneō. Do nothing mēdeis out kata of selfish ambition eritheia or mēde vain conceit kenodoxia, but alla in ho humility tapeinophrosynē consider hēgeomai others allēlōn more important hyperechō than yourselves heautou. Each person hekastos should look out skopeō not only for his own heautou interests ho, but alla also kai for the ho interests of others heteros. Your hymeis attitude phroneō toward one another should be the same houtos as kai that hos of en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous, who hos, although he was hyparchō in en the form morphē of God theos, did hēgeomai not ou regard hēgeomai equality isos with God theos a thing to be eimi grasped harpagmos, but alla emptied kenoō himself heautou, taking on lambanō the form morphē of a servant, being born ginomai in en the likeness homoiōma of man anthrōpos. And kai being found heuriskō in appearance schēma as hōs a man anthrōpos he humbled tapeinoō himself heautou, becoming ginomai obedient hypēkoos to the point mechri of death thanatos, even de death thanatos on a cross stauros! Therefore dio · kai · ho God theos has highly exalted hyperypsoō him autos and kai bestowed charizomai on him autos the ho name onoma that ho is above hyper every pas name onoma, 10 so that hina at en the ho name onoma of Jesus Iēsous every pas knee gony should bow kamptō, in heaven epouranios, and kai on earth epigeios and kai under the earth katachthonios, 11 and kai every pas tongue glōssa confess exomologeomai that hoti Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos is Lord kyrios, to eis the glory doxa of God theos the Father patēr.

12 So then hōste, my egō dear friends agapētos, just as kathōs you have always pantote obeyed hypakouō, not only monon in en · ho my egō presence parousia but alla even polys more mallon now nyn in en · ho my egō absence apousia, continue to work out katergazomai your heautou salvation sōtēria with meta fear phobos and kai trembling tromos, · ho 13 for gar it is eimi God theos who ho is at work energeō in en you hymeis, both kai to will thelō and kai to work energeō on behalf hyper of his ho good pleasure eudokia. 14 Do poieō all pas things without chōris grumbling gongysmos or kai arguing dialogismos, 15 so that hina you may be ginomai blameless amemptos and kai innocent akeraios, children teknon of God theos above reproach in the midst mesos of a crooked skolios and kai perverse diastrephō generation genea, among en whom hos you shine phainō like hōs stars phōstēr in en the universe kosmos, 16 holding fast epechō the word logos of life zōē, so that eis I egō may have reason to boast kauchēma on eis the day hēmera of Christ Christos that hoti I did trechō not ou run trechō in eis vain kenos or oude labor kopiaō in eis vain kenos. 17 But alla even kai if ei I am to be poured spendō out as a drink offering upon epi the ho sacrifice thusia and kai service leitourgia of ho your hymeis faith pistis, I am glad chairō and kai rejoice synchairō with all pas of you hymeis. 18 Likewise ho de · de you hymeis also kai should be glad chairō and kai rejoice synchairō with me egō.

19 I hope elpizō · de in en the Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous to send pempō Timothy Timotheos to you hymeis soon tacheōs, so that hina I too kagō may be encouraged eupsycheō by news ginōskō · ho about peri you hymeis. 20 For gar I have echō no one else oudeis of like mind isopsychos who hostis will be merimnaō genuinely gnēsiōs concerned merimnaō for peri your hymeis welfare ho. 21 For gar they ho all pas look out for zēteō their own heautou interests ho, not ou for those ho of Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos. 22 · ho But de you know ginōskō Timothy’ s autos proven character dokimē, how hoti as hōs a child teknon with his father patēr he served douleuō with syn me egō in the furtherance eis of the ho gospel euangelion. 23 Therefore oun I hope elpizō to send pempō him houtos just as soon exautēs as hōs I see aphoraō how things ho will turn out for peri me egō; 24 and de I trust peithō in en the Lord kyrios that hoti I erchomai myself autos also kai will be coming erchomai soon tacheōs. 25 In the meantime de I think hēgeomai it necessary anankaios to send pempō to pros you hymeis Epaphroditus Epaphroditos, · ho my egō brother adelphos, · kai fellow worker synergos, and kai fellow soldier systratiōtēs, as well as de your hymeis messenger apostolos and kai minister leitourgos to ho my egō need chreia, 26 because epeidē he has been eimi longing epipotheō for all pas of you hymeis and kai has been distressed adēmoneō because dioti you heard akouō that hoti he was ill astheneō. 27 Indeed kai gar he was ill astheneō; he almost paraplēsios died thanatos. But alla · ho God theos had mercy eleeō on him autos, and de not ou only monon on him autos but alla on me egō as well kai, so that hina I would echō not have echō sorrow lypē upon epi sorrow lypē. 28 Therefore oun I am all the more eager spoudaiōs to send pempō him autos, so that hina when you see him autos again palin you may rejoice chairō and I kagō may eimi no longer be eimi anxious alypos. 29 Therefore oun welcome prosdechomai him autos in en the Lord kyrios with meta great pas joy chara, and kai hold echō · ho such toioutos men in honor entimos, 30 because hoti he came close engizō to mechri death thanatos for dia the ho work ergon of Christ Christos, risking paraboleuomai his ho life psychē to hina make up anaplēroō for the ho help leitourgia · ho you hymeis were not able hysterēma to give pros me egō.

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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 which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.

20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.

24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.

25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:

30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.