Philippians 2:19-3:11

English Standard Version

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus ^(A)to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. ²⁰ For I have no one ^(B)like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. ²¹ For they all ^(C)seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²² But you know Timothy's^{[a] (D)}proven worth, how ^(E)as a son^[b] with a father ^(F)he has served with me in the gospel. ²³ I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, ²⁴ and ^(G)I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

²⁵ I have thought it necessary to send to you ^(H)Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and ^(I)fellow soldier, and your messenger and ^(J)minister to my need, ²⁶ for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. ²⁷ Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. ²⁹ So ^(K)receive him in the Lord with all joy, and ^(L)honor such men, ³⁰ for he nearly died^{[c] (M)}for the work of Christ, risking his life ^(N)to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

3 Finally, my brothers,^{[d] (O)}rejoice in the Lord. ^(P)To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

² Look out for ^(Q)the dogs, look out for ^(R)the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. ³ For ^(S)we are the circumcision, ^(T)who worship ^(U)by the Spirit of God^[e] and ^(V)glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ^4 (W)though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ^5 (X)circumcised on the eighth day, ^(Y)of the people of Israel, ^(Z)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(AA)a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ^(AB)a Pharisee; ^6 (AC)as to zeal, ^(AD)a persecutor of the church; ^(AE)as to righteousness under the law,^[f] blameless. ⁷ But ^(AF)whatever gain I had, ^(AG)I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^(AH)the surpassing worth of ^(AI)knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^(AJ)have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having ^(AK)a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^(AL)that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ^10 (AM)that I may know him and ^(AN)the power of his resurrection, and ^(AO)may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may ^(AP)attain the resurrection from the dead.