Christian Humility
1If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.
Christ’s Humility and Exaltation
5Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
6who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be exploited.
7Instead he emptied himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when he had come as a man,
8he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death —
even to death on a cross.
9For this reason God highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow —
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth —
11and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Lights in the World
12Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. 17But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial 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 to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. 20For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 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 confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.
25But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus — my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need —  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 sorrow upon sorrow. 28For 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. 29Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.