Christ Born of Mary^(A)

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ^2 (B)This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to ^(C)the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, ^(D)because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, ^(E)his betrothed ^[a]wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And ^(F)she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a ^[b]manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And ^[c]behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, ^(G)and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, ^(H)“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy ^(I)which will be to all people. ^11 (J)For there is born to you this day in the city of David ^(K)a Savior, ^(L)who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a ^[d]manger.”

^13 (M)And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made ^[f]widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ^19 (Q)But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and ^(R)praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Unity Through Humility

2 Therefore if there is any ^[a]consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any ^(A)affection and mercy, ^2 (B)fulfill my joy ^(C)by being like-minded, having the same love, being of ^(D)one accord, of one mind. ^3 (E)Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but ^(F)in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ^4 (G)Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of ^(H)others.

The Humbled and Exalted Christ

^5 (I)Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, ^(J)being in the form of God, did not consider it ^[b]robbery to be equal with God, ^7 (K)but ^[c]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form ^(L)of a bondservant, and ^(M)coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and ^(N)became ^(O)obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ^9 (P)Therefore God also ^(Q)has highly exalted Him and ^(R)given Him the name which is above every name, ^10 (S)that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and ^(T)that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Light Bearers

¹² Therefore, my beloved, ^(U)as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, ^(V)work out your own salvation with ^(W)fear and trembling; ¹³ for ^(X)it is God who works in you both to will and to do ^(Y)for His good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things ^(Z)without ^[d]complaining and ^(AA)disputing,^{[e] 15} that you may become blameless and ^[f]harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as ^(AB)lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding fast the word of life, so that ^(AC)I may rejoice in the day of Christ that ^(AD)I have not run in vain or labored in ^(AE)vain.

¹⁷ Yes, and if ^(AF)I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice ^(AG)and service of your faith, ^(AH)I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸ For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy Commended

¹⁹ But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send ^(AI)Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your ^[g]state. ²⁰ For I have no one ^(AJ)like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. ²¹ For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. ²² But you know his proven character, ^(AK)that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. ²³ Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. ²⁴ But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.

Epaphroditus Praised

²⁵ Yet I considered it necessary to send to you ^(AL)Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and ^(AM)fellow soldier, ^(AN)but your messenger and ^(AO)the one who ministered to my need; ^26 (AP)since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷ For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. ²⁹ Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; ³⁰ because for the work of Christ he came close to death, ^[h]not regarding his life, ^(AQ)to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

All for Christ

3 Finally, my brethren, ^(AR)rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

^2 (AS)Beware of dogs, beware of ^(AT)evil workers, ^(AU)beware of the mutilation! ³ For we are ^(AV)the circumcision, ^(AW)who worship ^[i]God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, ⁴ though ^(AX)I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I ^(AY)more so: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, ^(AZ)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(BA)a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, ^(BB)a Pharisee; ⁶ concerning zeal, ^(BC)persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁷ But ^(BD)what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss ^(BE)for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having ^(BF)my own righteousness, which is from the law, but ^(BG)that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the ^(BH)power of His resurrection, and ^(BI)the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹ if, by any means, I may ^(BJ)attain^[j] to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already ^(BK)attained,^[k] or am already ^(BL)perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have ^[l]apprehended; but one thing I do, ^(BM)forgetting those things which are behind and ^(BN)reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ^14 (BO)I press toward the goal for the prize of ^(BP)the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Therefore let us, as many as are ^(BQ)mature, ^(BR)have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, ^(BS)God will reveal even this to you. ¹⁶ Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already ^[m]attained, ^(BT)let us walk ^(BU)by the same ^[n]rule, let us be of the same mind.

Our Citizenship in Heaven

¹⁷ Brethren, ^(BV)join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as ^(BW)you have us for a pattern. ¹⁸ For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are ^(BX)the enemies of the cross of Christ: ^19 (BY)whose end is destruction, ^(BZ)whose god is their belly, and ^(CA)whose glory is in their shame—^(CB)who set their mind on earthly things. ²⁰ For ^(CC)our citizenship is in heaven, ^(CD)from which we also ^(CE)eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ^21 (CF)who will transform our lowly body that it may be ^(CG)conformed to His glorious body, ^(CH)according to the working by which He is able even to ^(CI)subdue all things to Himself.

Be Anxious for Nothing; Think These Thoughts

4 Therefore, my beloved and ^(CJ)longed-for brethren, ^(CK)my joy and crown, so ^(CL)stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

Be United, Joyful, and in Prayer

² I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche ^(CM)to be of the same mind in the Lord. ^3 [o]And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who ^(CN)labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in ^(CO)the Book of Life.

^4 (CP)Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

⁵ Let your ^[p]gentleness be known to all men. ^(CQ)The Lord is at hand.

^6 (CR)Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with ^(CS)thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and ^(CT)the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Meditate on These Things

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are ^(CU)true, whatever things are ^(CV)noble, whatever things are ^(CW)just, ^(CX)whatever things are pure, whatever things are ^(CY)lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and ^(CZ)the God of peace will be with you.

Philippian Generosity

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last ^(DA)your^[q] care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, ^(DB)to be content: ^12 (DC)I know how to ^[r]be abased, and I know how to ^[s]abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³ I can do all things ^(DD)through ^[t]Christ who strengthens me.

¹⁴ Nevertheless you have done well that ^(DE)you shared in my distress. ¹⁵ Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, ^(DF)no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. ¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. ¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift, but I seek ^(DG)the fruit that abounds to your account. ¹⁸ Indeed I ^[u]have all and abound. I am full, having received from ^(DH)Epaphroditus the things sent from you, ^(DI)a sweet-smelling aroma, ^(DJ)an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God ^(DK)shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ^20 (DL)Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Greeting and Blessing

²¹ Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren ^(DM)who are with me greet you. ²² All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.

²³ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with ^[v]you all. Amen.