¹⁴ “Now fear the Lord^(A) and serve him with all faithfulness.^(B) Throw away the gods^(C) your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt,^(D) and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites,^(E) in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household,^(F) we will serve the Lord.”^(G)

¹⁶ Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake^(H) the Lord to serve other gods! ¹⁷ It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery,^(I) and performed those great signs^(J) before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. ¹⁸ And the Lord drove out^(K) before us all the nations,^(L) including the Amorites, who lived in the land.^(M) We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.^(N)”

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)