Philippians 2
Living Bible
2 Is there any such thing as Christians cheering each other up? Do you love me enough to want to help me? Does it mean anything to you that we are brothers in the Lord, sharing the same Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic at all? 2 Then make me truly happy by loving each other and agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, working together with one heart and mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. 4 Don’t just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and in what they are doing.
5 Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ, 6 who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, 7 but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men.[a] 8 And he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross.[b]
9 Yet it was because of this that God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name which is above every other name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Dearest friends, when I was there with you, you were always so careful to follow my instructions. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to do the good things that result from being saved, obeying God with deep reverence, shrinking back from all that might displease him. 13 For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants.
14 In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing 15 so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of people who are crooked and stubborn. Shine out among them like beacon lights, 16 holding out to them the Word of Life.
Then when Christ returns, how glad I will be that my work among you was so worthwhile. 17 And if my lifeblood is, so to speak, to be poured out over your faith, which I am offering up to God as a sacrifice—that is, if I am to die for you—even then I will be glad and will share my joy with each of you. 18 For you should be happy about this, too, and rejoice with me for having this privilege of dying for you.
19 If the Lord is willing, I will send Timothy to see you soon. Then when he comes back, he can cheer me up by telling me all about you and how you are getting along. 20 There is no one like Timothy for having a real interest in you; 21 everyone else seems to be worrying about his own plans and not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy. He has been just like a son to me in helping me preach the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I am trusting the Lord that soon I myself may come to see you.
25 Meanwhile, I thought I ought to send Epaphroditus back to you. You sent him to help me in my need; well, he and I have been real brothers, working and battling side by side. 26 Now I am sending him home again, for he has been homesick for all of you and upset because you heard that he was ill. 27 And he surely was; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him and on me, too, not allowing me to have this sorrow on top of everything else.
28 So I am all the more anxious to get him back to you again, for I know how thankful you will be to see him, and that will make me happy and lighten all my cares. 29 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and show your appreciation, 30 for he risked his life for the work of Christ and was at the point of death while trying to do for me the things you couldn’t do because you were far away.
Footnotes
- Philippians 2:7 becoming like men, literally, “made in the likeness of men.”
- Philippians 2:8 going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross, literally, “became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.”
Philippians 2
King James Version
2 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.
20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.
23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.
24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.
25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:
30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
Philippians 2
English Standard Version
Christ's Example of Humility
2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from (A)love, any (B)participation in the Spirit, any (C)affection and sympathy, 2 (D)complete my joy by being (E)of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from (F)selfish ambition or (G)conceit, but in (H)humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you (I)look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 (J)Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,[a] 6 (K)who, though he was in (L)the form of God, did not count equality with God (M)a thing to be grasped,[b] 7 but (N)emptied himself, by taking the form of a (O)servant,[c] (P)being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by (Q)becoming obedient to the point of death, (R)even death on a cross. 9 (S)Therefore (T)God has (U)highly exalted him and bestowed on him (V)the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus (W)every knee should bow, (X)in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and (Y)every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is (Z)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my beloved, (AA)as you have always (AB)obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for (AC)it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for (AD)his good pleasure.
14 Do all things (AE)without grumbling or (AF)disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, (AG)children of God (AH)without blemish (AI)in the midst of (AJ)a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine (AK)as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to (AL)the word of life, so that in (AM)the day of Christ (AN)I may be proud that (AO)I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be (AP)poured out as a drink offering upon (AQ)the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus (AR)to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one (AS)like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all (AT)seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's[d] (AU)proven worth, how (AV)as a son[e] with a father (AW)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 (AX)I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
25 I have thought it necessary to send to you (AY)Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and (AZ)fellow soldier, and your messenger and (BA)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 (BB)receive him in the Lord with all joy, and (BC)honor such men, 30 for he nearly died[f] (BD)for the work of Christ, risking his life (BE)to complete what was lacking in your service to me.
Footnotes
- Philippians 2:5 Or which was also in Christ Jesus
- Philippians 2:6 Or a thing to be held on to for advantage
- Philippians 2:7 Or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)
- Philippians 2:22 Greek his
- Philippians 2:22 Greek child
- Philippians 2:30 Or he drew near to the point of death; compare verse 8
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
