2 So by whatever [appeal to you there is in our mutual dwelling in Christ, by whatever] strengthening and consoling and encouraging [our relationship] in Him [affords], by whatever persuasive ^[a]incentive there is in love, by whatever participation in the [Holy] Spirit [we share], and by whatever depth of affection and compassionate sympathy,

² Fill up and complete my joy by living in harmony and being of the same mind and one in purpose, having the same love, being in full accord and of one harmonious mind and intention.

³ Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves].

⁴ Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.

⁵ Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]

⁶ Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [^[b]possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not ^[c]think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped ^[d]or retained,

⁷ But stripped Himself [of all privileges and ^[e]rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.

⁸ And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!

⁹ Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has ^[f]freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,

¹⁰ That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee ^[g]should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

¹¹ And every tongue [^[h]frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹² Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, ^[i]with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).

¹³ [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while ^[j]effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and ^[k]delight.

¹⁴ Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [^[l]against God] and ^[m]questioning and doubting [among yourselves],

¹⁵ That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world,

¹⁶ Holding out [to it] and offering [to all men] the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in that I did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose.

¹⁷ Even if [my lifeblood] must be poured out as a libation on the sacrificial offering of your faith [to God], still I am glad [to do it] and ^[n]congratulate you all on [your share in] it.

¹⁸ And you also in like manner be glad and ^[o]congratulate me on [my share in] it.

¹⁹ But I hope and trust in the Lord Jesus soon to send Timothy to you, so that I may also be encouraged and cheered by learning news of you.

²⁰ For I have no one like him [no one of so kindred a spirit] who will be so genuinely interested in your welfare and devoted to your interests.

²¹ For the others all seek [to advance] their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

²² But Timothy’s tested worth you know, how as a son with his father he has toiled with me zealously in [serving and helping to advance] the good news (the Gospel).

²³ I hope therefore to send him promptly, just as soon as I know how my case is going to turn out.

²⁴ But [really] I am confident and fully trusting in the Lord that shortly I myself shall come to you also.

²⁵ However, I thought it necessary to send Epaphroditus [back] to you. [He has been] my brother and companion in labor and my fellow soldier, as well as [having come as] your special messenger (apostle) and minister to my need.

²⁶ For he has been [homesick] longing for you all and has been distressed because you had heard that he was ill.

²⁷ He certainly was ill [too], near to death. But God had compassion on him, and not only on him but also on me, lest I should have sorrow [over him] ^[p]coming upon sorrow.

²⁸ So I have sent him the more willingly and eagerly, that you may be gladdened at seeing him again, and that I may be the less disquieted.

²⁹ Welcome him [home] then in the Lord with all joy, and honor and highly appreciate men like him,

³⁰ For it was through working for Christ that he came so near death, risking his [very] life to complete the deficiencies in your service to me [which distance prevented you yourselves from rendering].

2 So by whatever [appeal to you there is in our mutual dwelling in Christ, by whatever] strengthening and consoling and encouraging [our relationship] in Him [affords], by whatever persuasive ^[a]incentive there is in love, by whatever participation in the [Holy] Spirit [we share], and by whatever depth of affection and compassionate sympathy,

² Fill up and complete my joy by living in harmony and being of the same mind and one in purpose, having the same love, being in full accord and of one harmonious mind and intention.

³ Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves].

⁴ Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.

⁵ Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]

⁶ Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [^[b]possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not ^[c]think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped ^[d]or retained,

⁷ But stripped Himself [of all privileges and ^[e]rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.

⁸ And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!

⁹ Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has ^[f]freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,

¹⁰ That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee ^[g]should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

¹¹ And every tongue [^[h]frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹² Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, ^[i]with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).

¹³ [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while ^[j]effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and ^[k]delight.

¹⁴ Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [^[l]against God] and ^[m]questioning and doubting [among yourselves],

¹⁵ That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world,

¹⁶ Holding out [to it] and offering [to all men] the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in that I did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose.

¹⁷ Even if [my lifeblood] must be poured out as a libation on the sacrificial offering of your faith [to God], still I am glad [to do it] and ^[n]congratulate you all on [your share in] it.

¹⁸ And you also in like manner be glad and ^[o]congratulate me on [my share in] it.

¹⁹ But I hope and trust in the Lord Jesus soon to send Timothy to you, so that I may also be encouraged and cheered by learning news of you.

²⁰ For I have no one like him [no one of so kindred a spirit] who will be so genuinely interested in your welfare and devoted to your interests.

²¹ For the others all seek [to advance] their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

²² But Timothy’s tested worth you know, how as a son with his father he has toiled with me zealously in [serving and helping to advance] the good news (the Gospel).

²³ I hope therefore to send him promptly, just as soon as I know how my case is going to turn out.

²⁴ But [really] I am confident and fully trusting in the Lord that shortly I myself shall come to you also.

²⁵ However, I thought it necessary to send Epaphroditus [back] to you. [He has been] my brother and companion in labor and my fellow soldier, as well as [having come as] your special messenger (apostle) and minister to my need.

²⁶ For he has been [homesick] longing for you all and has been distressed because you had heard that he was ill.

²⁷ He certainly was ill [too], near to death. But God had compassion on him, and not only on him but also on me, lest I should have sorrow [over him] ^[p]coming upon sorrow.

²⁸ So I have sent him the more willingly and eagerly, that you may be gladdened at seeing him again, and that I may be the less disquieted.

²⁹ Welcome him [home] then in the Lord with all joy, and honor and highly appreciate men like him,

³⁰ For it was through working for Christ that he came so near death, risking his [very] life to complete the deficiencies in your service to me [which distance prevented you yourselves from rendering].

38 In those days King Hezekiah of Judah became ill and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said, Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.^(A)

² Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord

³ And said, Remember [earnestly] now, O Lord, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in faithfulness and in truth, with a whole heart [absolutely devoted to You], and have done what is good in Your sight. And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

⁴ Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,

⁵ Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will ^[a]add to your life fifteen years.

⁶ And I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city [Jerusalem].

⁷ And this will be the sign to you from the Lord that the Lord will do this thing that He has spoken:

⁸ Behold, I will turn the shadow [denoting the time of day] on the steps or degrees, which has gone down on the steps or sundial of Ahaz, backward ten steps or degrees. And the sunlight turned back ten steps on the steps on which it had gone down.

⁹ This is the writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:

¹⁰ I said, In the noontide and tranquillity of my days I must depart; I am to pass through the gates of Sheol (the place of the dead), deprived of the remainder of my years.

¹¹ I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living; I shall behold man no more among the inhabitants of the world.

¹² My [fleshly] dwelling is plucked up and is removed from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life as a weaver [rolls up the finished web]; [the Lord] cuts me free from the loom; from day to night You bring me to an end.

¹³ I thought and quieted myself until morning. Like a lion He breaks all my bones; from day to night You bring me to an end.

¹⁴ Like a twittering swallow or a crane, so do I chirp and chatter; I moan like a dove. My eyes are weary and dim with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; take my side and be my security [as of a debtor being sent to prison].

¹⁵ But what can I say? For He has both spoken to me and He Himself has done it. I must go softly [as in solemn procession] all my years and my sleep has fled because of the bitterness of my soul.

¹⁶ O Lord, by these things men live; and in all these is the life of my spirit. O give me back my health and make me live!

¹⁷ Behold, it was for my peace that I had intense bitterness; but You have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

¹⁸ For Sheol (the place of the dead) cannot confess and reach out the hand to You, death cannot praise and rejoice in You; they who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness [to Your promises; their probation is at an end, their destiny is sealed].

¹⁹ The living, the living—they shall thank and praise You, as I do this day; the father shall make known to the children Your faithfulness and Your truth.

²⁰ The Lord is ready to save (deliver) me; therefore we will sing my songs with [my] stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the Lord.

²¹ Now Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, that he may recover.

²² Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?

39 At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent [messengers with] letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he had heard that he had been sick and had recovered.^(B)

² And Hezekiah was glad and welcomed them and showed them the house of his spices and precious things—the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious ointment, all the house of his armor and his jewels, and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.

³ Then came Isaiah the prophet to King Hezekiah and said to him, What did these men say? From where did they come to you? And Hezekiah said, They came to me from a far country, even from Babylon.

⁴ Then Isaiah said, What have they seen in your house? And Hezekiah answered, They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.

⁵ Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts:

⁶ Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your predecessors have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord.

⁷ And some of your own sons who are born to you shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

⁸ Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good. And he added, For there will be peace and faithfulness [to His promises to us] in my days.