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1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
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2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
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3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
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4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
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5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
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6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
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7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
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8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
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9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
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10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
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11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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.
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13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
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14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
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15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
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16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
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17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
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18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
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19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.
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20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
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21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
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22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.
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23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.
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24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.
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25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
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26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
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27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
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28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
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29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:
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30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
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- 1 Therefore 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,
- 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
- 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
- 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
- 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
- 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
- 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
- 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
- 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
- 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
- 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
- 12 So 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;
- 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
- 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing;
- 15 so 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,
- 16 holding 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.
- 17 But 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.
- 18 You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
- 19 But 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.
- 20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.
- 21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.
- 22 But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.
- 23 Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me;
- 24 and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.
- 25 But 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;
- 26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
- 27 For 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.
- 28 Therefore 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.
- 29 Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;
- 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.
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