The Holy Spirit’s Ministries

12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, 13 because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,(A) you will live. 14 For all those led by God’s Spirit(B) are God’s sons.(C) 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.(D) Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption,(E) by whom we cry out, “Abba,[a] Father!” (F) 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit(G) that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs(H)—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him(I) so that we may also be glorified with him.

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Footnotes

  1. 8:15 Aramaic for father

Christian Humility

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) make my joy complete by thinking the same way,(D) having the same love,(E) united in spirit, intent on one(F) purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition(G) or conceit,(H) but in humility(I) consider others as more important(J) than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests,(K) but rather to the interests of others.(L)

Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God(M)
as something to be exploited.[a]
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,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.(Q)
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.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:6 Or to be grasped, or to be held on to

The Centrality of Christ

15 He is the image of the invisible God,(A)
the firstborn over all creation.(B)
16 For everything was created by him,(C)
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through him and for him.(D)
17 He is before all things,(E)
and by him all things(F) hold together.
18 He is also the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning,(G)
the firstborn from the dead,(H)
so that he might come to have
first place in everything.
19 For God was pleased to have
all his fullness(I) dwell in him,(J)
20 and through him to reconcile
everything to himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace(K)
through his blood,(L) shed on the cross.[a](M)

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Footnotes

  1. 1:20 Other mss add through him

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