Philippians 2:1-30 NET

[1] Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy, [2] complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose. [3] Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. [4] Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. [5] You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, [6] who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, [7] but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. [8] He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death-even death on a cross! [9] As a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow-in heaven and on earth and under the earth- [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. [12] So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, [13] for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort-for the sake of his good pleasure-is God. [14] Do everything without grumbling or arguing, [15] so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world [16] by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. [17] But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you. [18] And in the same way you also should be glad and rejoice together with me. [19] Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you. [20] For there is no one here like him who will readily demonstrate his deep concern for you. [21] Others are busy with their own concerns, not those of Jesus Christ. [22] But you know his qualifications, that like a son working with his father, he served with me in advancing the gospel. [23] So I hope to send him as soon as I know more about my situation, [24] though I am confident in the Lord that I too will be coming to see you soon. [25] But for now I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to me in my need. [26] Indeed, he greatly missed all of you and was distressed because you heard that he had been ill. [27] In fact he became so ill that he nearly died. But God showed mercy to him-and not to him only, but also to me-so that I would not have grief on top of grief. [28] Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you can rejoice and I can be free from anxiety. [29] So welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, [30] since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me.