New American Standard Bible 1995

Holman Christian Standard Bible

1Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of 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,

2make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

2fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal.

3Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

3Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

4Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

5Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,

6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing 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 bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

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,

8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

8He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-- even to death on a cross.

9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

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, of those who are 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 that every tongue will 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.

12So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, 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 is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

13For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.

14Do all things without grumbling or disputing;

14Do everything without grumbling and arguing,

15so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear 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.

16holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil 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 as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.

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.

18You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

18In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

19But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.

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.

20For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.

20For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests;

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

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

22But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.

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 immediately, as soon as I see how things go 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 also will be coming shortly.

24I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will also come quickly.

25But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;

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--

26because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.

26since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick.

27For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have 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 have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.

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.

29Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;

29Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in honor,

30because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your 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.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.