Philippians 2 (NMV)
1 If there is any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, united in spirit, with one purpose.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Adopt the same mindset as that of Christ Jesus:
6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be used for His own advantage;
7 instead, He emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness. And being found in human appearance,
8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 For this reason, 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 will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but now even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with fear and reverence,
13 for it is God who is working in you, both to will and to act for His good purpose.
14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing,
15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world,
16 holding fast to the word of life, so that on the day of Christ I may boast that I did not run or labor in vain.
17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with all of you.
18 In the same way, you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.
19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I also may be encouraged when I hear how you are doing.
20 For I have no one else like him, who will genuinely care for your well-being.
21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
22 But you know his proven character, how he served with me like a son with his father in the work of the good news.
23 So I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.
24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.
25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need.
26 He has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick.
27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.
28 For this reason, I am especially eager to send him to you, so that you may rejoice when you see him again and I may be less anxious.
29 So welcome him in the Lord with great joy and honor people like him,
30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for your inability to serve me in person.