1 T herefore 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,

If, then, any exhortation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

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

fulfil ye my joy, that ye may mind the same thing -- having the same love -- of one soul -- minding the one thing,

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

nothing in rivalry or vain-glory, but in humility of mind one another counting more excellent than yourselves --

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

each not to your own look ye, but each also to the things of others.

5 H ave this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

For, let this mind be in you that also in Christ Jesus,

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

who, being in the form of God, thought not robbery to be equal to God,

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

but did empty himself, the form of a servant having taken, in the likeness of men having been made,

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

and in fashion having been found as a man, he humbled himself, having become obedient unto death -- death even of a cross,

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

wherefore, also, God did highly exalt him, and gave to him a name that above every name,

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

that in the name of Jesus every knee may bow -- of heavenlies, and earthlies, and what are under the earth --

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

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

12 S o 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;

So that, my beloved, as ye always obey, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, with fear and trembling your own salvation work out,

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

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

14 D o all things without grumbling or disputing;

All things do without murmurings and reasonings,

15 s o 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,

that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God, unblemished in the midst of a generation crooked and perverse, among whom ye do appear as luminaries in the world,

16 h olding 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.

the word of life holding forth, for rejoicing to me in regard to a day of Christ, that not in vain did I run, nor in vain did I labour;

17 B ut 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.

but if also I am poured forth upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and joy with you all,

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

because of this do ye also rejoice and joy with me.

19 B ut 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.

And I hope, in the Lord Jesus, Timotheus to send quickly to you, that I also may be of good spirit, having known the things concerning you,

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

for I have no one like-minded, who sincerely for the things concerning you will care,

21 F or they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.

for the whole seek their own things, not the things of the Christ Jesus,

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

and the proof of him ye know, that as a child a father, with me he did serve in regard to the good news;

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

him, indeed, therefore, I hope to send, when I may see through the things concerning me -- immediately;

24 a nd I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.

and I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall quickly come.

25 B ut 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;

And I thought necessary Epaphroditus -- my brother, and fellow-workman, and fellow-soldier, and your apostle and servant to my need -- to send unto you,

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

seeing he was longing after you all, and in heaviness, because ye heard that he ailed,

27 F or 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.

for he also ailed nigh to death, but God did deal kindly with him, and not with him only, but also with me, that sorrow upon sorrow I might not have.

28 T herefore 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.

The more eagerly, therefore, I did send him, that having seen him again ye may rejoice, and I may be the less sorrowful;

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

receive him, therefore, in the Lord, with all joy, and hold such in honour,

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

because on account of the work of the Christ he drew near to death, having hazarded the life that he might fill up your deficiency of service unto me.