1 ¶ Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of charity, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,

2 f ulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same charity, unanimous, minding the one thing.

make my joy full, by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;

3 L et nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in humility let each esteem others better than themselves,

doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

4 w ith each one not looking to their own things, but also to the things of others.

each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

5 L et this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,

Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 w ho, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,

who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 b ut emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, made in the likeness of men,

but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

8 a nd being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.

9 T herefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name,

Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;

10 t hat at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,

11 a nd that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is Lord in the glory of God the Father.

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

12 ¶ Therefore, my beloved, as ye have always hearkened, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own saving health with fear and trembling.

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

13 F or it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

14 ¶ Do all things without murmurings and doubts,

Do all things without murmurings and disputes,

15 t hat ye may be blameless and innocent, children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world,

that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,

16 h olding fast the word of life, that I may glory in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

holding up the word of life; that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain.

17 A nd even if I am poured out as an offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all.

Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.

18 F or the same cause ye also have joy and rejoice with me.

In the same way, you also rejoice, and rejoice with me.

19 B ut I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state.

But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing.

20 F or I have no one likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you.

21 F or all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.

For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.

22 B ut ye know the proof of him, that as a son with the father, he has served with me in the gospel.

But you know the proof of him, that, as a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News.

23 T herefore, I hope to send him presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.

Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it will go with me.

24 B ut I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.

But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly.

25 Y et 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 needs.

But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need;

26 F or he longed after you all and was full of heaviness, because ye had heard that he had been sick

since he longed for you all, and was very troubled, because you had heard that he was sick.

27 F or indeed he was sick near unto death, but God had mercy on him and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on 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.

I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

29 R eceive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness and esteem such

Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such in honor,

30 b ecause for the work of the Christ he was near unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.