Philipper 2,12 | New International Reader’s Version

Being humble like Christ

1 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 towards 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 fulfil 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 ill.

27 He was very ill. 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. Honour 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.

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English Standard Version

Christ’s Example of Humility

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,

2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,*

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,*

7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,* being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lights in the World

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always 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 it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,

15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon 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 to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.

20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.

21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

22 But you know Timothy’s* proven worth, how as a son* with a father 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 I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and 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 receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,

30 for he nearly died* for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

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