1 I f, then, any exhortation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

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

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

3 n othing in rivalry or vain-glory, but in humility of mind one another counting more excellent than yourselves --

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

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

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

5 F or, let this mind be in you that also in Christ Jesus,

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

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

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

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

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

8 a nd in fashion having been found as a man, he humbled himself, having become obedient unto death -- death even of a 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 w herefore, also, God did highly exalt him, and gave to him a name that 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 the name of Jesus every knee may bow -- of heavenlies, and earthlies, and what are 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 may confess that Jesus Christ 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 S o 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,

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

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

14 A ll things do without murmurings and reasonings,

Do all things without grumbling or disputing;

15 t hat 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,

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 t he 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;

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

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 b ecause of this do ye also rejoice and joy with me.

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

19 A nd 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,

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-minded, who sincerely for the things concerning you will care,

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

21 f or the whole seek their own things, not the things of the Christ Jesus,

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

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

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

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

24 a nd I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall quickly come.

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

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

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

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

27 f or 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.

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

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

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

30 b ecause 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.

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