New Living Translation | New International Version |
1Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? | 1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, |
2Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. | 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. |
3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. | 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, |
4Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. | 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. |
5You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. | 5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: |
6Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. | 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; |
7Instead, he gave up his divine privileges ; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, | 7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. |
8he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. | 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-- even death on a cross! |
9Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, | 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place 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, | 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, |
11and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Shine Brightly for Christ | 11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
12Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. | 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, |
13For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. | 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. |
14Do everything without complaining and arguing, | 14Do everything without grumbling or arguing, |
15so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. | 15so that you may become blameless and pure, "children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation." Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky |
16Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. | 16as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. |
17But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. | 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. |
18Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy. Paul Commends Timothy | 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. |
19If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. | 19I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. |
20I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. | 20I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. |
21All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. | 21For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. |
22But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. | 22But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. |
23I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. | 23I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. |
24And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon. Paul Commends Epaphroditus | 24And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon. |
25Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. | 25But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. |
26I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. | 26For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. |
27And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. | 27Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. |
28So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. | 28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. |
29Welcome him in the Lord’s love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. | 29So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, |
30For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away. | 30because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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