1 S o by whatever strengthening and consoling and encouraging in Him, by whatever persuasive incentive there is in love, by whatever participation in the Spirit, and by whatever depth of affection and compassionate sympathy,

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

2 F ill 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.

make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

3 D o nothing from factional motives 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.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

4 L et each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.

do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

5 L et this same attitude and purpose and mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 W ho, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God '> possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained,

who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 B ut stripped Himself '> rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.

but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

8 A nd after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 T herefore God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

10 T hat in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 A nd every tongue '> frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 T herefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only 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, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

13 f or it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

14 D o all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining '> against God] and questioning and doubting,

Do all things without grumbling or disputing;

15 T hat 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, among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the world,

so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

16 H olding out and offering 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.

holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

17 E ven if must be poured out as a libation on the sacrificial offering of your faith, still I am glad and congratulate you all on it.

But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.

18 A nd you also in like manner be glad and congratulate me on it.

You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. Timothy and Epaphroditus

19 B ut 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.

But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.

20 F or I have no one like him who will be so genuinely interested in your welfare and devoted to your interests.

For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.

21 F or the others all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.

22 B ut Timothy’s tested worth you know, how as a son with his father he has toiled with me zealously in the good news (the Gospel).

But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.

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

Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me;

24 B ut I am confident and fully trusting in the Lord that shortly I myself shall come to you also.

and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.

25 H owever, I thought it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. my brother and companion in labor and my fellow soldier, as well as your special messenger (apostle) and minister to my need.

But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;

26 F or he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you had heard that he was ill.

because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.

27 H e certainly was ill, near to death. But God had compassion on him, and not only on him but also on me, lest I should have sorrow coming upon sorrow.

For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.

28 S o 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.

Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.

29 W elcome him then in the Lord with all joy, and honor and highly appreciate men like him,

Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;

30 F or it was through working for Christ that he came so near death, risking his life to complete the deficiencies in your service to me.

because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.