Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

2 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any ^(A)fellowship of the Spirit, if any ^[a](B)affection and compassion, ^2 (C)fulfill my joy, that ^(D)you think the same way, by maintaining the same love, being united in spirit, thinking on one purpose, ³ doing nothing ^[b]from ^[c](E)selfish ambition or ^(F)vain glory, but with humility of mind ^(G)regarding one another as more important than yourselves, ^4 (H)not merely looking out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ^5 (I)Have this way of thinking ^[d]in yourselves which was also in ^(J)Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, although ^(K)existing in the ^(L)form of God, ^(M)did not regard equality with God a thing ^[e]to be grasped, ⁷ but ^[f](N)emptied Himself, by taking the form of a ^(O)slave, by ^(P)being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ Being found in appearance as a man, ^(Q)He humbled Himself by becoming ^(R)obedient to the point of death, even ^(S)death ^[g]on a cross. ^9 (T)Therefore, God also ^(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 ^(Y)every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is ^[h](Z)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹² So then, my beloved, ^(AA)just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your ^(AB)salvation with ^(AC)fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is ^(AD)God who is at work in you, both to will and to work ^(AE)for His good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things without ^(AF)grumbling or disputing, ¹⁵ so that you will be ^(AG)blameless and innocent, ^(AH)children of God without blemish in the midst of a ^(AI)crooked and perverse generation, among whom you ^(AJ)shine as ^[i]lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding ^[j]fast the word of life, so that in ^(AK)the day of Christ I will have reason to boast because I did not ^(AL)run in vain nor ^(AM)labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being ^(AN)poured out as a drink offering upon ^(AO)the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. ¹⁸ And you also, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus Sent

¹⁹ But I hope in the Lord Jesus to ^(AP)send ^(AQ)Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be in good spirits when I learn of your circumstances. ²⁰ For I have no one else ^(AR)of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned about your circumstances. ²¹ For they all ^(AS)seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. ²² But you know ^(AT)of his proven worth, that ^(AU)he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel ^(AV)like a child serving his father. ^23 (AW)Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I ^[k]evaluate my own circumstances, ²⁴ and ^(AX)I am confident in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly. ²⁵ But I regarded it necessary to send to you ^(AY)Epaphroditus, my brother and ^(AZ)fellow worker and ^(BA)fellow soldier, who is also your ^[l](BB)messenger and ^(BC)minister to my need; ²⁶ because he was longing ^[m]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 on him only 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. ^29 (BD)Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and ^(BE)hold men like him in high regard ³⁰ because he came close to death ^[n](BF)for the work of Christ, risking his life to ^(BG)fulfill ^[o]what was lacking in your service to me.