1 I f then any comfort in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of Spirit, if any bowels and compassions,

2 f ulfil my joy, that ye may think the same thing, having the same love, joined in soul, thinking one thing;

3 n othing in the spirit of strife or vain glory, but, in lowliness of mind, each esteeming the other as more excellent than themselves;

4 r egarding not each his own, but each those of others also.

5 F or let this mind be in you which also in Christ Jesus;

6 w ho, subsisting in the form of God, did not esteem it an object of rapine to be on an equality with God;

7 b ut emptied himself, taking a bondman's form, taking his place in likeness of men;

8 a nd having been found in figure as a man, humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and death of cross.

9 W herefore also God highly exalted him, and granted him a name, that which is above every name,

10 t hat at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of heavenly and earthly and infernal,

11 a nd every tongue confess that Jesus Christ Lord to God Father's glory.

12 S o that, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

13 f or it is God who works in you both the willing and the working according to good pleasure.

14 D o all things without murmurings and reasonings,

15 t hat ye may be harmless and simple, irreproachable children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation; among whom ye appear as lights in world,

16 h olding forth word of life, so as to be a boast for me in Christ's day, that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain.

17 B ut if also I am poured out as a libation on the sacrifice and ministration of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice in common with you all.

18 I n like manner do ye also rejoice, and rejoice with me.

19 B ut I hope in Lord Jesus to send Timotheus to you shortly, that I also may be refreshed, knowing how ye get on.

20 F or I have no one like-minded who will care with genuine feeling how ye get on.

21 F or all seek their own things, not the things of Jesus Christ.

22 B ut ye know the proof of him, that, as a child a father, he has served with me in the work of the glad tidings.

23 H im therefore I hope to send immediately, as soon as I shall see how it goes with me:

24 b ut I trust in Lord that I myself also shall soon come;

25 b ut I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-workman and fellow-soldier, but your messenger and minister to my need,

26 s ince he had a longing desire after you all, and was distressed because ye had heard that he was sick;

27 f or he was also sick close to death, but God had mercy on him, and not indeed on him alone, but also on me, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.

28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that seeing him ye might again rejoice, and that I might be the less sorrowful.

29 R eceive him therefore in Lord with all joy, and hold such in honour;

30 b ecause for the sake of the work he drew near even to death, venturing his life that he might fill up what lacked in your ministration toward me.