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 fulfil 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 labour 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 honour 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.
Kristo Ahobrɛase
1Mo nkwa a mowɔ wɔ Kristo mu no hyɛ mo den ana? Ne dɔ kyekye mo werɛ ana? Mo ne Honhom no wɔ ayɔnkofa bi ana? Mowɔ ayamye ne ayamhyehye ma mo ho mo ho ana? 2Sɛ ɛte saa de a, ɛno de, munnya adwene koro wɔ ɔdɔ ne Honhom ne botae koro mu, na mʼanigye awie pɛyɛ. 3Monnyɛ pɛsɛmenkominya; monnhoahoa mo ho mfa mpɛ anuonyam hunu. Mommrɛ mo ho ase mma mo ho mo ho na mummu mo yɔnkonom nsen mo ankasa mo ho. 4Mommma obiara nhwɛ ne nko ara nʼade nko, na mmom onsusuw ne mfɛfo nso de ho bi.
5Momma mo abrabɔ nyinaa nyɛ sɛ Yesu Kristo de no bi.
6Ɔno na ɔwɔ Onyankopɔn tebea mu de,
nanso wanhwɛ ne ho sɛ ɔne Onyankopɔn bɛyɛ pɛ.
7Ɔdan ne tumi kɛse ne nʼanuonyam too nkyɛn.
Mmom, ofii ne pɛ mu faa akoa tebea de too ne ho so,
baa sɛ onipa bɛyɛɛ nʼade sɛ onipa.
8Ɔbrɛɛ ne ho ase,
yɛɛ osetie
de koduu owu mu,
asennua ho wu mu mpo.
9Eyi nti Onyankopɔn maa ne so kɔɔ baabi a ɛkorɔn koraa,
maa no din a edi din nyinaa so.
10Na ɛno nti sɛ wɔbɔ Yesu din a,
ɔsorofo ne asase sofo ne asase asefo nkotodwe nyinaa bɛkotow no.
11Na tɛkrɛma nyinaa apae mu aka se,
Yesu Kristo ne Awurade,
de ahyɛ Agya Onyankopɔn anuonyam.
Nkwagye Ho Adwumayɛ
12Enti me nnamfo pa, sɛnea na me ne mo te hɔ a na mutie me no, saa ara nso na bere a minni mo nkyɛn mprempren yi ɛsɛ sɛ mutie me ara ne no. Monkɔ so mfa ahopopo ne osuro nyɛ adwuma mfa nwie mo nkwagye ho adwumayɛ, 13efisɛ Onyankopɔn na ɔma mufi mo pɛ mu di dwuma a ɛsɔ nʼani.
14Dwuma biara a mudi no, munnnwiinwii na monnnye ho akyinnye, 15sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wɔrenka biribi ntia mo. Mobɛyɛ kronkron sɛ Onyankopɔn mma nokwafo a wɔte wiase a nkontompofo ne nnebɔneyɛfo ahyɛ mu ma tɔ no. Ɛsɛ sɛ mohyerɛn wɔ wɔn mu sɛ nsoromma a ɛwɔ soro 16wɔ nkwa no ho asɛm a moka kyerɛ wɔn no mu. Sɛ moyɛ saa na Kristo da no mede mo hoahoa me ho a, na ne kwan so ara ne no; efisɛ ɛbɛda no adi sɛ dwuma a mibedii no anyɛ ɔkwa. 17Ebia na ɛsɛ sɛ wohwie me mogya gu sɛ afɔrebɔde sɛnea mo ɔsom no nso yɛ afɔrebɔde ma Onyankopɔn no. Sɛ ɛba saa a, ɛbɛyɛ anigyesɛm a me ne mo nyinaa na ebenya saa ahosɛpɛw no. 18Yiw, momma mo ani nnye, sɛnea me nso mʼani agye no.
Wɔsoma Timoteo Ne Epafrodito.
19Anidaso a mewɔ wɔ Awurade Yesu mu no nti, mɛsoma Timoteo ma waba mo nkyɛn na mo ho nsɛm a mɛte no ahyɛ me nkuran. 20Ɔno nko ne obi a ɔwɔ ɔtema ma me na mo ho asɛm nso hia no. 21Obiara pɛ ɔno ara ne yiyedi a Yesu Kristo ho asɛm mfa ne ho. 22Mo ankasa mudi ho adanse wɔ dwuma a wadi ho. Wakyerɛ nso sɛ, ɔne me te sɛ ɔba ne nʼagya a wɔaka abɔ mu adi asɛmpa no ho dwuma. 23Sɛ mihu sɛnea nneɛma rekɔ so ma me a, ɛrenkyɛ biara mɛsoma no aba mo nkyɛn. 24Na Awurade mu anidaso a mewɔ nti, minim sɛ ɛrenkyɛ biara mʼankasa mɛba mo nkyɛn.
25Mʼadwene ho sɛ, mɛsoma yɛn nua Epafrodito a wayɛ adwuma, na odi me nkyɛn mu ako na wasom mo sɛ mo somafo de aboa me no wɔ mo nkyɛn. 26Ne ho pere no sɛ obehu mo nyinaa na ɛhaw mo nso sɛ motee ne nka sɛ ɔyare. 27Ampa ara, na ɔyare a anka ɔreyɛ awu. Nanso Onyankopɔn huu no ne me nso mmɔbɔ, efisɛ wamma manni awerɛhow. 28Me ho peree me yiye sɛ mɛsoma no aba mo nkyɛn na muhu no a, mo ani asan agye, na me nso mʼawerɛhow to atwa. 29Momfa ahosɛpɛw nnye no sɛ onua wɔ Awurade mu. Momfa obu ne nidi mma nnipa a wɔte sɛ ɔno nyinaa, 30efisɛ ɔde ne nkwa bɔɔ afɔre a ɛnam so maa anka ɔrewu ama Kristo adwuma de aboa me a anka morentumi mmoa saa no.
