| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, | 1If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, |
| 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. | 2fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. |
| 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. | 3Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. |
| 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. | 4Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. |
| 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: | 5Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, |
| 6Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, | 6who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. |
| 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. | 7Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, |
| 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. | 8He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-- even to death on a cross. |
| 9Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, | 9For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, |
| 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, | 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow-- of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth-- |
| 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. | 11and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
| 12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. | 12So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. |
| 13For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose. | 13For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. |
| 14Do everything without complaining or arguing, | 14Do everything without grumbling and arguing, |
| 15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world | 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. |
| 16as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. | 16Hold firmly to the message 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 being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. | 17But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. |
| 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. | 18In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me. |
| 19Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing. | 19Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I also may be encouraged when I hear news about you. |
| 20I have nobody else like him who will genuinely care for your needs. | 20For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; |
| 21For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. | 21all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. |
| 22But you know Timothy’s proven worth, that as a child with his father he has served with me to advance the gospel. | 22But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. |
| 23So I hope to send him as soon as I see what happens with me. | 23Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. |
| 24And I trust in the Lord that I myself will come soon. | 24I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will also come quickly. |
| 25But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs. | 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-- |
| 26For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. | 26since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. |
| 27He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. | 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 one grief on top of another. |
| 28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less anxious. | 28For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice when you see him again and I may be less anxious. |
| 29Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, | 29Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in honor, |
| 30because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for your deficit of service to me. | 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. |
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