Philippians 2

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Christian Humility

2 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love,^(A) if any fellowship with the Spirit,^(B) if any affection and mercy,^(C) ²fulfill my joy by thinking the same way,^(D) having the same love,^(E) sharing the same feelings, focusing on one^(F) goal. ³Do nothing out of rivalry^(G) or conceit,^(H) but in humility^(I) consider others as more important^(J) than yourselves. ⁴Everyone should look out not only for his own interests,^(K) but also for the interests of others.^(L)

Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

⁵Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,

⁶who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God^(M)
as something to be used for His own advantage.^[a]
⁷Instead He emptied Himself^(N)
by assuming the form of a slave,^(O)
taking on the likeness of men.^(P)
And when He had come as a man
in His external form,
⁸He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.^(Q)
⁹For this reason God highly exalted Him^(R)
and gave Him the name
that is above every name,
¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow^(S)—
of those who are in heaven^(T) and on earth
and under the earth^(U)—
¹¹and every tongue^(V) should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,^[b]
to the glory^(W) of God the Father.

Lights in the World

¹²So then, my dear friends,^(X) just as you have always obeyed,^(Y) not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. ¹⁴Do everything without grumbling^(Z) and arguing,^(AA) ¹⁵so that you may be blameless^(AB) and pure,^(AC) children of God who are faultless^(AD) in a crooked^(AE) and perverted^(AF) generation,^(AG) among whom you shine like stars in the world. ¹⁶Hold firmly to^[c] the message^(AH) of life. Then I can boast^(AI) in the day of Christ^(AJ) that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. ¹⁷But even if I am poured out^(AK) as a drink offering^(AL) on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹Now I hope in the Lord Jesus^(AM) to send Timothy^(AN) to you soon so that I also may be encouraged when I hear news about you. ²⁰For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; ²¹all seek their own interests,^(AO) not those of Jesus Christ.^(AP) ²²But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. ²³Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. ²⁴I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will also come quickly.^(AQ)

²⁵But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus^(AR)—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need^(AS)— ²⁶since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. ²⁷Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one grief on top of another. ²⁸For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice when you see him again and I may be less anxious. ²⁹Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in honor, ³⁰because he came close to death for the work^(AT) of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.