Philippians 2

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

1If Christ gives you strength, if his love comforts you, then hear this. If God's Spirit joins you together, if you feel kind and gentle, then hear this.

2Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

2Make my joy complete. Think the same way. Have the same love. Work together with one heart and one mind.

3Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

3Do not do things to beat other people or to look important. Be humble instead. Treat other people as more important than yourself.

4Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

4Do not think only about your own needs. Think about what other people need too.

5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

5Think and act the same way Christ Jesus did.

6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

6Jesus had everything that makes God, God. But he did not hold on tightly to being equal with God.

NoteThe KJV says Jesus "thought it not robbery to be equal with God." That old wording is confusing now. It means he did not clutch or hold on to his equal place with God.

7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

7Instead he gave all of that up. He took the place of a servant. He was born as a human being like us.

8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

8He lived as a man. He made himself low. He obeyed God all the way to death. He even died on a cross.

9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

9So God lifted Jesus up to the highest place of all. God gave him the name that is greater than every other name.

10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

10One day everyone will bend the knee when they hear the name of Jesus. That means everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

11Everyone will say out loud that Jesus Christ is Lord, the one in charge. This brings honor to God the Father.

12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

12So, dear friends, you have always obeyed. You obeyed when I was with you. Keep obeying even more now that I am far away. Keep working out your salvation, the rescue God has given you. Do it seriously, with deep respect for God.

13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

13God himself is working inside you. He makes you want to do good. He helps you do it. All of this is what pleases him.

14Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

14Do everything without complaining. Do everything without arguing.

15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

15Then no one can find fault with you. You will be God's children, clean and blameless. You live among people who are twisted and do wrong. Among them you shine like lights in the world.

16Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

16Hold out the message that gives life. Then I can be glad on the day Christ comes. I will know my running and hard work were not wasted.

17Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

17Your faith is like a gift given to God. My own life may be poured out on top of that gift. Even so, I am glad. I am happy along with all of you.

NotePaul is picturing an old kind of gift to God. Wine was poured out over the gift at the altar. Paul means his own life might be poured out that way.

18For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

18You should feel the same way. Be glad and happy along with me.

19But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.

19I hope the Lord Jesus will let me send Timothy to you soon. Then I will hear how you are doing, and that will cheer me.

20For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

20I have no one else who thinks like I do. He truly cares about how you are doing.

21For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.

21Everyone else is looking after their own plans. They are not looking after what Jesus Christ wants.

22But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

22You know Timothy has proved himself. He worked beside me like a son helps his father. Together we told the good news about Jesus.

23Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.

23So I hope to send him to you very soon. First I must see what happens to me here.

24But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.

24And I trust the Lord that I will come to you soon myself.

25Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

25But I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you now. He is my brother, my fellow worker, and my fellow soldier. You sent him to me, and he took care of my needs.

NoteIn 1611 English, "my wants" meant "my needs," not "my wishes."

26For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

26He has been missing all of you very much. He was upset because you heard that he was sick.

27For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

27He really was sick. He almost died. But God was kind to him. God was kind to me too, so I would not have sadness on top of sadness.

28I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

28So I want even more to send him to you. When you see him again, you will be glad. Then I will worry less.

29Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:

29Welcome him with great joy, as people who belong to the Lord. Show honor to people like him.

30Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

30He almost died doing the work of Christ. He put his own life at risk. He gave me the help you were not able to give.