45 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
45 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
# Chapter 2
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1 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
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2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
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3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.
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4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.
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5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
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6 who, existing in the form of God,
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did not consider equality with God
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as something to be exploited.
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7 Instead he emptied himself
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by assuming the form of a servant,
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taking on the likeness of humanity.
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And when he had come as a man,
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8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient
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to the point of death—
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even to death on a cross.
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9 For this reason God highly exalted him
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and gave him the name
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that is above every name,
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10 so that at the name of Jesus
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every knee will bow—
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in heaven and on earth
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and under the earth—
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11 and every tongue will confess
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that Jesus Christ is Lord,
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to the glory of God the Father.
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12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
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13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.
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14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing,
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15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world,
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16 by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.
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17 But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
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18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.
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19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you.
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20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests;
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21 all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
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22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father.
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23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.
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24 I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.
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25 But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need—
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26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick.
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27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.
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28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious.
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29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor,
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30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me. |