⁷ And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? ⁸ But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself ^(A)and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? ⁹ Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded ^[a]him? I think not. ¹⁰ So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are ^(B)unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”

^22 (A)Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. ^23 (B)And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ^24 (C)knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; ^(D)for^[a] you serve the Lord Christ. ²⁵ But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and ^(E)there is no partiality.

Unity Through Humility

2 Therefore if there is any ^[a]consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any ^(A)affection and mercy, ^2 (B)fulfill my joy ^(C)by being like-minded, having the same love, being of ^(D)one accord, of one mind. ^3 (E)Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but ^(F)in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ^4 (G)Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of ^(H)others.

The Humbled and Exalted Christ

^5 (I)Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, ^(J)being in the form of God, did not consider it ^[b]robbery to be equal with God, ^7 (K)but ^[c]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form ^(L)of a bondservant, and ^(M)coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and ^(N)became ^(O)obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

⁴² But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, ^(A)“You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ^43 (B)Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. ⁴⁴ And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even ^(C)the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and ^(D)to give His life a ransom for many.”