Chapter 2

1So, if your life in the Messiah gives you any encouragement, if love gives any comfort, if you share in God’s Spirit, and if there is any deep affection and compassion among you,

2then make my joy complete: think in harmony, share the same love, be united in heart, and focus on one purpose.

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride. Instead, be humble and consider others more important than yourselves.

4Do not look out only for your own interests. Each of you should also look out for the interests of others.

5Adopt among yourselves the same way of thinking that Jesus the Messiah had:

6Although he existed in the form of God, he did not consider equality with God something to use for his own advantage.

7Instead, he emptied himself—he took the form of a slave and became like other human beings. When he was seen as a human,

8he humbled himself and became obedient all the way to death—even death on a cross.

9Therefore, God raised him to the highest place and graciously gave him the name above every name,

10so that at Jesus’ name everyone would kneel—those in heaven, on earth, and beneath the earth—

11and every tongue would openly acknowledge, “Jesus the Messiah is Lord—the ruler of all,” bringing honor to God the Father.

12So, my dear friends, you have always obeyed. Continue now, not only when I am with you but even more while I am away. With fear and trembling, keep working out the full results of God’s rescue in your lives.

13For God is the one at work within you, giving you both the desire and the power to fulfill his good purpose.

14Do everything without complaining or arguing,

15so that you may become blameless and innocent—God’s children without fault in the middle of a crooked and twisted generation. Among them you shine like lights in the world

16as you hold firmly to the message that brings life. Then, when the Messiah’s day comes, I will have reason to be proud that I did not run or work hard for nothing.

17But even if my life is poured out like wine over the sacrifice you offer through your faithful service, I am glad and share my joy with all of you.

18In the same way, you too should be glad and share your joy with me.

19Because I trust in the Lord Jesus, I hope to send Timothy to you soon. Then news about you will encourage me as well.

20I have no one else with a heart like his who will sincerely care about how you are doing.

21All the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus the Messiah.

22But you know Timothy’s proven character: like a son working with his father, he has served alongside me in spreading the good news.

23So I hope to send him as soon as I see how things turn out for me.

24And because I trust in the Lord, I am confident that I myself will come soon as well.

25But I have thought it necessary to send Epaphroditus back to you. He is my brother in the faith, my coworker, and my fellow soldier. He is also your messenger and the one who served me on your behalf when I was in need.

26He has been longing for all of you and was deeply troubled because you heard that he was sick.

27He truly was so sick that he nearly died. But God showed mercy to him—and not only to him, but also to me—so that I would not have one sorrow piled on another.

28That is why I am even more eager to send him, so you can see him again and be glad, and I can be less sorrowful.

29So welcome him with complete joy as someone who belongs to the Lord, and honor people like him.

30He came close to death because of the Messiah’s work, risking his life to supply the help you could not give me in person.