Imitating
Christ's Humility
If
you have any Encouragement from being united with Christ,
If
any Comfort from His Love,
If
any Fellowship with the Spirit,
If
any Tenderness and Compassion,
2
Then make my Joy complete by being Like-minded,
Having
the same love,
BEING
ONE IN SPIRIT AND PURPOSE.
3
DO NOTHING OUT OF SELFISH AMBITION OR VAIN CONCEIT,
But
in Humility consider others better than yourselves.
4
Each of you should look not only to your own Interests,
But
also to the Interests of others.
5
YOUR ATTITUDE SHOULD BE THE SAME AS THAT OF CHRIST JESUS;
6
WHO, BEING IN VERY NATURE GOD,
Did
not consider Equality with God something to be Grasped,
BUT
MADE HIMSELF NOTHING,
Taking
the Very Nature of a Servant,
BEING
MADE IN HUMAN LIKENESS.
8
And being found in appearance as a man,
HE
HUMBLED HIMSELF
AND
BECAME OBEDIENT TO DEATH--
Even
Death on a Cross!
9
Therefore God Exalted Him to the Highest Place
And
gave Him a Name that is above Every Name,
10
THAT AT THE NAME OF JEsUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW
IN
HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH
11
AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS
THAT
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD;
TO
THE GLORY OF THE FATHER.
Shining
As Stars
12
Therefore, my dear Friends,
As
you have always Obeyed—not only in my Presence,
But
now much more in my Absence--
CONTINUE
TO WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION
WITH
FEAR AND TREMBLING,
13 FOR
IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU
TO
WILL AND TO ACT
ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PURPOSE.
14
Do everything without complaining or arguing,
15
So that you may become Blameless and Pure,
Children
of God without Fault
IN
A CROOKED AND DEPRAVED GENERATION,
In
which you Shine like Stars on the Universe
16
AS YOU HOLD OUT THE WORD OF LIFE--
In
order that I may Boast on The Day Of Christ
That
I did not run or labor for nothing.
17
BUT EVEN AS I AM BEING POURED OUT
LIKE
A DRINK OFFERING
On
the Sacrifice and service coming from your Faith,
I
am glad and Rejoice with all of you.
18
So you too should be glad and Rejoice with me.
Timothy
And Epaphroditus
19
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon,
That
I also may be Cheered when I receive news about you.
20
I have no one else like him,
Who
takes a Genuine Interest in your Welfare.
21
FOR EVERYONE LOOKS OUT FOR HIS OWN INTERESTS,
NOT
THOSE OF JESUS CHRIST.
22 But
you know that Timothy has Proved himself,
Because
as a son with his father
He
has served with me in the Work of the Gospel.
23
I hope, therefore, to send him
As
soon as I see how things go with me.
24
And I am Confident In the Lord
That
I my self will come soon.
25
But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus,
My
brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier,
Who
is also your messenger,
Whom
you sent to take care of my needs.
26
For he longs for all of you
And
is Distressed because you heard he was ill.
27
Indeed he was ill, and almost died.
But
God had Mercy on him,
And
not on him only but also on me,
To
Spare me Sorrow upon Sorrow.
28
Therefore I am all the more eager to send him,
So
that when you see him again
You
may be glad and I may have less Anxiety.
29
Welcome him In the Lord with Great Joy,
And
Honor men like him,
30
Because he almost died for the Work of Christ,
Risking
his life
To
make up for the help you could not give me.
(Philippians
2)
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