Jedinstvo u poniznosti
1Ima li dakle u Kristu kakva ohrabrenja? Ima li utjehe u njegovoj ljubavi? Ima li zajedništva u Duhu? Ima li nježnosti i samilosti? 2Usrećite me onda: budite složni, volite se uzajamno, budite jednodušni u osjećajima i mislima. 3Ne budite sebični ni umišljeni. Budite ponizni i smatrajte jedni druge većima od sebe. 4Ne starajte se samo za vlastitu korist već i za korist drugih.
Kristova poniznost i uzvišenost
5Vaše bi motrište trebalo biti jednako Isusovu. 6Iako je bio Bog, nije zahtijevao svoje pravo da bude Bogom, 7nego je odložio svoju moćnu snagu i slavu te, uzevši na sebe lik sluge, postao ljudskim bićem. I kao ljudsko biće 8ponizio je samoga sebe, poslušan do smrti, i to do smrti na križu. 9Zato ga je Bog uzdignuo iznad svega i darovao mu ime uzvišenije od svakoga drugog imena, 10da pred Isusovim imenom prignu koljena sva bića na nebu, na zemlji i pod zemljom 11i da svaki jezik prizna: “Isus Krist je Gospodin” na slavu Boga Oca.
Sjajno svijetlite za Krista
12Najdraži moji, uvijek ste bili poslušni dok sam bio s vama. Ali sada dok me nema, morate se još više, sa strahom i drhtanjem, truditi oko svojega spasenja. 13Jer Bog djeluje budeći u vama želju da mu budete poslušni i dajući vam snage da činite ono što mu je ugodno.
14Ma što činili, ne prigovarajte i ne svađajte se 15da vas nitko ne može osuditi. Živite besprijekornim i čistim životom, kao neporočna Božja djeca usred izopačenog i pokvarenog naraštaja. Svijetlite u njihovoj tami poput zvijezda u svemiru. 16Čvrsto se držite Riječi života, tako da se na dan Kristova povratka mogu ponositi da nisam uzalud trčao trku niti uzalud se trudio. 17Štoviše, ako se i moja krv mora proliti poput žrtve za vašu vjeru i požrtvovno Božje djelo, sretan sam i radujem se s vama. 18I vi se zato veselite i radujte sa mnom.
Preporuka Timoteju
19Nadam se da ću, bude li volja Gospodina Isusa, ubrzo poslati k vama Timoteja, da me razveseli vijestima o vama. 20Nemam nikoga drugog poput njega tko bi se tako brinuo za vašu dobrobit, 21jer se svi drugi brinu samo o sebi, a ne o onomu što je Kristovo. 22Ali znate da je Timotej prokušan. Pomagao mi je u naviještanju Radosne vijesti kao sin ocu. 23Njega vam se nadam poslati čim doznam što će ovdje biti sa mnom. 24A pouzdajem se u Gospodina da ću vam i sam ubrzo doći.
Preporuka Epafroditu
25U međuvremenu mi se činilo potrebnim da vam pošaljem natrag Epafrodita, svojega brata, suradnika i suborca, kojega ste poslali da mi pomogne u potrebi. 26Šaljem ga doma jer čezne za vama i jer je žalostan što ste čuli da je obolio. 27Zaista je bio bolestan, gotovo je umro. Ali Bog mu se—a i meni—smilovao da me ne snađe žalost na žalost.
28Zato ga što prije šaljem jer znam da ćete se razveseliti kad ga vidite, a onda ću i ja biti manje žalostan. 29Primite ga dakle s ljubavlju Gospodnjom2:29 U grčkome: u Gospodinu. i poštujte takve ljude. 30Izložio se životnoj pogibli radi Kristova djela i umalo je umro čineći za mene ono što vi niste mogli jer ste bili daleko.
Being Humble Like Christ
1So does belonging to Christ help you in any way? Does his love comfort you at all? Do you share anything in common because of the Holy Spirit? Has Christ ever been gentle and loving toward you? 2If any of these things has happened to you, then agree with one another. Have the same love. Be one in spirit and in the way you think and act. By doing this, you will make my joy complete. 3Don’t do anything only to get ahead. Don’t do it because you are proud. Instead, be humble. Value others more than yourselves. 4None of you should look out just for your own good. Each of you should also look out for the good of others.
5As you deal with one another, you should think and act as Jesus did.
6In his very nature he was God.
Jesus was equal with God. But Jesus didn’t take advantage of that fact.
7Instead, he made himself nothing.
He did this by taking on the nature of a servant.
He was made just like human beings.
8He appeared as a man.
He was humble and obeyed God completely.
He did this even though it led to his death.
Even worse, he died on a cross!
9So God lifted him up to the highest place.
God gave him the name that is above every name.
10When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone will kneel down to worship him.
Everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will kneel down to worship him.
11Everyone’s mouth will say that Jesus Christ is Lord.
And God the Father will receive the glory.
Live Without Complaining
12My dear friends, you have always obeyed God. You obeyed while I was with you. And you have obeyed even more while I am not with you. So continue to work out your own salvation. Do it with fear and trembling. 13God is working in you. He wants your plans and your acts to fulfill his good purpose.
14Do everything without complaining or arguing. 15Then you will be pure and without blame. You will be children of God without fault among sinful and evil people. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. 16You will shine as you hold on tight to the word of life. Then I will be able to boast about you on the day Christ returns. I can be happy that I didn’t run or work for nothing. 17But my life might even be poured out like a drink offering on your sacrifices. I’m talking about the way you serve because you believe. Even so, I am glad. I am joyful with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and joyful with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19I hope to send Timothy to you soon if the Lord Jesus allows it. Then I will be encouraged when I receive news about you. 20I have no one else like Timothy. He will truly care about how you are doing. 21All the others are looking out for their own interests. They are not looking out for the interests of Jesus Christ. 22But you know that Timothy has proved himself. He has served with me like a son with his father in spreading the good news. 23So I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24And I’m sure I myself will come soon if the Lord allows it.
25But I think it’s necessary to send Epaphroditus back to you. He is my brother in the Lord. He is a worker and a soldier of Christ together with me. He is also your messenger. You sent him to take care of my needs. 26He longs for all of you. He is troubled because you heard he was sick. 27He was very sick. In fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him. He also had mercy on me. God spared me sadness after sadness. 28So I want even more to send him to you. Then when you see him again, you will be glad. And I won’t worry so much. 29So then, welcome him as a brother in the Lord with great joy. Honor people like him. 30He almost died for the work of Christ. He put his life in danger to make up for the help you yourselves couldn’t give me.
