Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,^(A) if any tenderness and compassion,^{(B) 2} then make my joy complete^(C) by being like-minded,^(D) having the same love, being one^(E) in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.^(F) Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,^{(G) 4} not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.^(H)

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:^(I)

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,^(A) you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”^(B)

³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants^(C) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.^{(D) 35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.^{(E) 36} So if the Son sets you free,^(F) you will be free indeed.

¹⁸ You have been set free from sin^(A) and have become slaves to righteousness.^(B)

¹⁹ I am using an example from everyday life^(C) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness^(D) leading to holiness. ²⁰ When you were slaves to sin,^(E) you were free from the control of righteousness.^{(F) 21} What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!^{(G) 22} But now that you have been set free from sin^(H) and have become slaves of God,^(I) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.^{(J) 23} For the wages of sin is death,^(K) but the gift of God is eternal life^(L) in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.

¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit,^(A) and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.^(B)

Life by the Spirit

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.^(A) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a];^(B) rather, serve one another^(C) humbly in love.