Philippians 2
New International Reader's Version
Being Humble Like Christ
2 So does belonging to Christ help you in any way? Does his love comfort you at all? Do you share anything in common because of the Holy Spirit? Has Christ ever been gentle and loving toward you? 2 If any of these things has happened to you, then agree with one another. Have the same love. Be one in spirit and in the way you think and act. By doing this, you will make my joy complete. 3 Don’t do anything only to get ahead. Don’t do it because you are proud. Instead, be humble. Value others more than yourselves. 4 None of you should look out just for your own good. Each of you should also look out for the good of others.
5 As you deal with one another, you should think and act as Jesus did.
6 In his very nature he was God.
Jesus was equal with God. But Jesus didn’t take advantage of that fact.
7 Instead, he made himself nothing.
He did this by taking on the nature of a servant.
He was made just like human beings.
8 He appeared as a man.
He was humble and obeyed God completely.
He did this even though it led to his death.
Even worse, he died on a cross!
9 So God lifted him up to the highest place.
God gave him the name that is above every name.
10 When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone will kneel down to worship him.
Everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will kneel down to worship him.
11 Everyone’s mouth will say that Jesus Christ is Lord.
And God the Father will receive the glory.
Live Without Complaining
12 My dear friends, you have always obeyed God. You obeyed while I was with you. And you have obeyed even more while I am not with you. So continue to work out your own salvation. Do it with fear and trembling. 13 God is working in you. He wants your plans and your acts to fulfill his good purpose.
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing. 15 Then you will be pure and without blame. You will be children of God without fault among sinful and evil people. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. 16 You will shine as you hold on tight to the word of life. Then I will be able to boast about you on the day Christ returns. I can be happy that I didn’t run or work for nothing. 17 But my life might even be poured out like a drink offering on your sacrifices. I’m talking about the way you serve because you believe. Even so, I am glad. I am joyful with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and joyful with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope to send Timothy to you soon if the Lord Jesus allows it. Then I will be encouraged when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like Timothy. He will truly care about how you are doing. 21 All the others are looking out for their own interests. They are not looking out for the interests of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself. He has served with me like a son with his father in spreading the good news. 23 So I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I’m sure I myself will come soon if the Lord allows it.
25 But I think it’s necessary to send Epaphroditus back to you. He is my brother in the Lord. He is a worker and a soldier of Christ together with me. He is also your messenger. You sent him to take care of my needs. 26 He longs for all of you. He is troubled because you heard he was sick. 27 He was very sick. In fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him. He also had mercy on me. God spared me sadness after sadness. 28 So I want even more to send him to you. Then when you see him again, you will be glad. And I won’t worry so much. 29 So then, welcome him as a brother in the Lord with great joy. Honor people like him. 30 He almost died for the work of Christ. He put his life in danger to make up for the help you yourselves couldn’t give me.
Philippians 2
New Living Translation
Have the Attitude of Christ
2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,[a]
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[b];
he took the humble position of a slave[c]
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,[d]
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Shine Brightly for Christ
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God,[e] just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.
Paul Commends Timothy
19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.
Paul Commends Epaphroditus
25 Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.
28 So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. 29 Welcome him in the Lord’s love[f] and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.
Philippians 2
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) 2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way,(D) having the same love,(E) united in spirit, intent on one(F) purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition(G) or conceit,(H) but in humility(I) consider others as more important(J) than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests,(K) but rather to the interests of others.(L)
Christ’s Humility and Exaltation
5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God(M)
as something to be exploited.[a]
7 Instead he emptied himself(N)
by assuming the form of a servant,(O)
taking on the likeness of humanity.(P)
And when he had come as a man,
8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.(Q)
9 For this reason God highly exalted him(R)
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow(S)—
in heaven(T) and on earth
and under the earth(U)—
11 and every tongue(V) will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory(W) of God the Father.
Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my dear friends,(X) just as you have always obeyed,(Y) so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling(Z) and arguing,(AA) 15 so 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, 16 by holding firm to the word(AH) of life. Then I can boast(AI) in the day of Christ(AJ) that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured out(AK) as a drink offering(AL) on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus(AM) to send Timothy(AN) to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. 20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21 all seek their own interests,(AO) not those of Jesus Christ.(AP) 22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.(AQ)
25 But 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)— 26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, 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 sorrow upon sorrow. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30 because 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.
Footnotes
- 2:6 Or to be grasped, or to be held on to
Philippians 2
English Standard Version
Christ's Example of Humility
2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from (A)love, any (B)participation in the Spirit, any (C)affection and sympathy, 2 (D)complete my joy by being (E)of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from (F)selfish ambition or (G)conceit, but in (H)humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you (I)look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 (J)Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,[a] 6 (K)who, though he was in (L)the form of God, did not count equality with God (M)a thing to be grasped,[b] 7 but (N)emptied himself, by taking the form of a (O)servant,[c] (P)being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by (Q)becoming obedient to the point of death, (R)even death on a cross. 9 (S)Therefore (T)God has (U)highly exalted him and bestowed on him (V)the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus (W)every knee should bow, (X)in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and (Y)every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is (Z)Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my beloved, (AA)as you have always (AB)obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for (AC)it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for (AD)his good pleasure.
14 Do all things (AE)without grumbling or (AF)disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, (AG)children of God (AH)without blemish (AI)in the midst of (AJ)a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine (AK)as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to (AL)the word of life, so that in (AM)the day of Christ (AN)I may be proud that (AO)I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be (AP)poured out as a drink offering upon (AQ)the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus (AR)to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one (AS)like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all (AT)seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's[d] (AU)proven worth, how (AV)as a son[e] with a father (AW)he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and (AX)I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
25 I have thought it necessary to send to you (AY)Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and (AZ)fellow soldier, and your messenger and (BA)minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So (BB)receive him in the Lord with all joy, and (BC)honor such men, 30 for he nearly died[f] (BD)for the work of Christ, risking his life (BE)to complete what was lacking in your service to me.
Footnotes
- Philippians 2:5 Or which was also in Christ Jesus
- Philippians 2:6 Or a thing to be held on to for advantage
- Philippians 2:7 Or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)
- Philippians 2:22 Greek his
- Philippians 2:22 Greek child
- Philippians 2:30 Or he drew near to the point of death; compare verse 8
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
