Philippians 2

One in Christ

(Ephesians 2:11–18)

¹Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,2 ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.2

³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.2 ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.2

The Mind of Christ

(Isaiah 52:13–15)

⁵Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:2

⁶Who, existing in the form of God,

did not consider equality with God

something to be grasped,3

⁷but emptied Himself,

taking the form of a servant,

being made in human likeness.3

⁸And being found in appearance as a man,

He humbled Himself

and became obedient to death—

even death on a cross.2

⁹Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place

and gave Him the name above all names,1

¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,2

¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.1

Lights in the World

(Matthew 5:13–16)

¹²Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.3 ¹³For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.2

¹⁴Do everything without complaining or arguing,1 ¹⁵so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world3 ¹⁶as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.1

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 with all of you.1 ¹⁸So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

(1 Corinthians 16:10–12)

¹⁹Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing.1 ²⁰I have nobody else like him who will genuinely care for your needs.1 ²¹For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.2 ²²But you know Timothy’s proven worth, that as a child with his father he has served with me to advance the gospel. ²³So I hope to send him as soon as I see what happens with me. ²⁴And I trust in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

²⁵But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs. ²⁶For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. ²⁷He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.2

²⁸Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less anxious. ²⁹Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, ³⁰because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for your deficit of service to me.