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Imitating Christ’s Humility

If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy,(A) make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.(B) Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.(C) Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.(D) Let the same mind be in you that was[a] in Christ Jesus,(E)

who, though he existed in the form of God,
    did not regard equality with God
    as something to be grasped,(F)
but emptied himself,
    taking the form of a slave,
    assuming human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a human,(G)
    he humbled himself
    and became obedient to the point of death—
    even death on a cross.(H)

Therefore God exalted him even more highly
    and gave him the name
    that is above every other name,(I)
10 so that at the name given to Jesus
    every knee should bend,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,(J)
11 and every tongue should confess
    that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.(K)

Shining as Lights in the World

12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling,(L) 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmuring and arguing,(M) 15 so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world,(N) 16 holding forth the word of life so that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.(O)

17 But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the service of your faith, I rejoice, and I rejoice together with all of you;(P) 18 in the same way also you should rejoice and rejoice together with me.

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Footnotes

  1. 2.5 Or that you have