| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, | 1Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy, |
| 2fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. | 2complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose. |
| 3Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. | 3Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. |
| 4Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. | 4Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. |
| 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, | 5You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, |
| 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, | 6who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, |
| 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. | 7but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. |
| 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. | 8He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death--even death on a cross! |
| 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, | 9As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, |
| 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, | 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow--in heaven and on earth and under the earth-- |
| 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. | 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. |
| 12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; | 12So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, |
| 13for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. | 13for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort--for the sake of his good pleasure--is God. |
| 14Do all things without complaining and disputing, | 14Do everything without grumbling or arguing, |
| 15that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, | 15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world |
| 16holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. | 16by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. |
| 17Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. | 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 together with all of you. |
| 18For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. | 18And in the same way you also should be glad and rejoice together with me. |
| 19But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. | 19Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you. |
| 20For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. | 20For there is no one here like him who will readily demonstrate his deep concern for you. |
| 21For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. | 21Others are busy with their own concerns, not those of Jesus Christ. |
| 22But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. | 22But you know his qualifications, that like a son working with his father, he served with me in advancing the gospel. |
| 23Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. | 23So I hope to send him as soon as I know more about my situation, |
| 24But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly. | 24though I am confident in the Lord that I too will be coming to see you soon. |
| 25Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; | 25But for now I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to me in my need. |
| 26since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. | 26Indeed, he greatly missed all of you and was distressed because you heard that he had been ill. |
| 27For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. | 27In fact he became so ill that he nearly died. But God showed mercy to him--and not to him only, but also to me--so that I would not have grief on top of grief. |
| 28Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. | 28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you can rejoice and I can be free from anxiety. |
| 29Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; | 29So welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, |
| 30because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me. | 30since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me. |
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