Imitating Christ’s Humility
1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature2:6 Or in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature2:7 Or the form of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Do Everything Without Grumbling
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
14Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”2:15 Deut. 32:5 Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
效法基督
1所以，你們如果在基督裡受到鼓勵，得到愛的安慰，與聖靈相通，有慈悲和憐憫之心， 2就要同心合意，彼此相愛，靈裡合一，思想一致，好讓我的喜樂滿溢。 3凡事不可自私自利、愛慕虛榮，要心存謙卑，看別人比自己強。 4各人不要只顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。 5你們應當有基督耶穌那樣的心意。
6祂雖然本質上是上帝，
卻不緊抓與上帝同等之位，
7反而甘願放下一切，
取了奴僕的形像，
降生為人的樣子。
8祂以人的樣子出現後，
就自願卑微，順服至死，
而且死在十字架上。
9因此，上帝將祂升為至尊，
賜給祂超乎萬名之上的名，
10使一切天上的、
地上的和地底下的，
無不屈膝跪拜在耶穌的名下，
11無不口稱耶穌基督是主，
將榮耀歸於父上帝。
暗世明燈
12所以，我親愛的弟兄姊妹，你們一向都很順服，不只是當著我的面時才順服，我不在時你們更加順服，要戰戰兢兢地活出你們的救恩。 13因為你們立志和行事都是上帝在你們心中工作，為要成就祂美好的旨意。
14無論做什麼事，都不要抱怨，也不要與人爭論， 15好使你們在這個扭曲乖謬的時代中清白無過，作上帝純潔無瑕的兒女，2·15 申命記32·5。如同明光照耀在世上， 16堅守生命之道。這樣，到了基督再來的時候，我可以誇口自己沒有空跑一場，也沒有白費功夫。 17你們的信心就是獻給上帝的祭物，即使在上面澆奠我的生命，我也很喜樂，並且和大家一同喜樂。 18同樣，你們也要喜樂，要和我一同喜樂。
保羅的得力同工
19靠著主耶穌，我希望儘快派提摩太去你們那裡，好知道你們的近況，使我也感到欣慰。 20因為沒有人像他那樣跟我一同真正關心你們的事。 21別人都只顧自己的事，不顧耶穌基督的事。 22但你們知道提摩太的為人，他與我在福音事工上一起服侍，情同父子。 23所以，我的案子一旦明朗了，我會立刻派他去見你們。 24我靠主深信自己很快也會去你們那裡。
25另外，我覺得有必要讓以巴弗提回到你們那裡。他是我的弟兄、同工和戰友，也是你們差遣來服侍我、供應我需用的。 26他很想念你們各位，並且感到不安，因為你們聽說了他患病的事。 27他確實病了，幾乎喪命，但上帝憐憫了他，不但憐憫他，也憐憫了我，沒讓我憂上加憂。 28所以，我想儘快派他回去與你們相聚，好讓你們喜樂，也可以減少我的掛慮。 29你們要在主裡歡歡喜喜地接待他，而且要敬重像他這樣的人， 30因為他冒著生命危險彌補你們服侍我的不足之處，為了基督的工作幾乎喪命。
