| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Therefore, if there is any encouragement in the Messiah, if there is any comfort of love, if there is any fellowship in the Spirit, if there is any compassion and sympathy, | 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 fill me with joy by having the same attitude, sharing the same love, being united in spirit, and keeping one purpose in mind. | 2fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. |
| 3Do not act out of selfish ambition or conceit, but with humility think of others as being better than yourselves. | 3Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. |
| 4Do not be concerned about your own interests, but also be concerned about the interests of others. | 4Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. |
| 5Have the same attitude among yourselves that was also in the Messiah Jesus: | 5Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, |
| 6In God's own form existed he, and shared with God equality, deemed nothing needed grasping. | 6who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. |
| 7Instead, poured out in emptiness, a servant's form did he possess, a mortal man becoming. In human form he chose to be, | 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 lived in all humility, death on a cross obeying. | 8He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-- even to death on a cross. |
| 9Now lifted up by God to heaven, a name above all others given, this matchless name possessing. | 9For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, |
| 10And so, when Jesus' name is called, the knees of everyone should fall, wherever they're residing. | 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow-- of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth-- |
| 11Then every tongue in one accord, will say that Jesus the Messiah is Lord, while God the Father praising. | 11and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
| 12And so, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only when I was with you but even more now that I am absent, 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 is producing in you both the desire and the ability to do what pleases him. | 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 innocent, God's children without any faults among a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like stars 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 firmly to the word of life. Then I will be proud when the Messiah returns that I did not run in vain or work hard 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. |
| 17Yet even if I am being poured out like an offering as part of the sacrifice and service I offer for your faith, I rejoice, and I share my joy 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. |
| 18In the same way, you also should rejoice and share your joy 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 so that I can 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. |
| 20I do not have anyone else like him who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. | 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 after those of Jesus the Messiah. | 21all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. |
| 22But you know his proven worth—how like a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. | 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 are going to turn out for me. | 23Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. |
| 24Indeed, I am confident in the Lord that I will come to visit you soon. | 24I am convinced in the Lord that I myself will also come quickly. |
| 25Meanwhile, I thought it best to send Epaphroditus—my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and minister to my need—back to you. | 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 troubled because you heard that he was sick. | 26since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. |
| 27Indeed, he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow on top of another. | 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 especially eager to send him so that you may have the joy of seeing him again, and so that I may feel relieved. | 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. |
| 29So joyfully welcome him in the Lord and make sure you honor such people highly, | 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 the Messiah by risking his life to complete what remained unfinished 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. |
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