Philippians 2

1 If therefore there is any exhortation in Messiah, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,

Since Christ encourages us, since he loves us and comforts us, since God’s Spirit fellowships with [us, and] since [Christ] is very merciful [DOU] to us,

2 make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;

make me completely happy [by doing the following things]: Agree with one another, love one another, be closely united with one another, and [live] harmoniously with one another [DOU].

3 doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

Never try to selfishly make yourselves more important than [others] nor boast [about what you are doing]. Instead, be humble, [and in particular], honor one another more than you honor yourselves.

4 each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

Each one of you should not [only] be concerned about your own affairs. Instead, each of you should also be concerned (that you help/about the needs of) one another.

5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Messiah Yeshua,

You should think/act just like Christ Jesus [thought/acted].

6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,

[Although] he has the same nature as God has, he did not insist on keeping all the privileges of being equal with God.

7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

Instead, he [willingly] gave up divine privileges. [Specifically], he became a human being and took the attitude of a servant. When he had become a human being,

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.

he humbled himself [even more. Specifically], he obeyed [God] even to the extent of [being willing to] die. [He was even willing to] be nailed to a cross, [to die as though he were a criminal].

9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name,

As a result, God promoted him [to a] rank [that] is above every [other] rank.

10 that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,

[God did that] in order that every being [SYN] in heaven and on earth and under the earth should worship [MTY] Jesus,

11 and that every tongue should confess that Yeshua the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

and in order that every person [SYN] should declare that Jesus Christ is Lord. [As a result of everyone doing that, they will] honor God, [his] Father.

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

My dear friends, as you consider this, since you have always obeyed [God], each of you should very reverentially [DOU] try to do those things [that are proper for people whom God has] saved. [You should do those things] not only when I am with you. [Instead, you should try] even more [to do them] now when I am not with you.

13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

[You are able to do these things], since God [himself] causes you to desire to do what he wants you to do, and he also enables you to do what he wants you to do.

14 Do all things without complaining and arguing,

Do everything [God or your leaders ask you to do]. Never complain about what they want you to do, or argue with them.

15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, amongst whom you are seen as lights in the world,

Behave like that in order that you may be completely faultless [DOU] and may be perfect children of God [DOU] while you live in the midst of people who are wicked and do very wicked things [DOU]. As you live among them, show them clearly [MET] [the way they ought to behave], just like the sun, moon, and stars [show the road clearly to us] [SIM].

16 holding up the word of life, that I may have something to boast in the day of Messiah that I didn’t run in vain nor labour in vain.

Tell them how [to] have eternal life. I [ask that you do that] in order that on the day Christ [returns] I may be able to rejoice [MTY], that I did not labor [DOU] so hard among you in vain.

17 Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

Perhaps [the Roman authorities] will execute me, [and my blood will pour out] [MET] [as the] wine pours out when the priest offers it to God [MET]. [For your part], you believe [in Christ firmly]. As a result, you have given yourselves completely to God in order that you might do what he wills [MET], [just like a priest] offers a sacrifice [completely to God] [MET]. [Because I dedicate myself wholly to God] together with you, even if [they are about to execute me], I will greatly rejoice [DOU], [because I am giving myself wholly to God], and because you all [are giving yourselves wholly to God].

18 In the same way, you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Similarly, you too should rejoice [because you are giving yourselves wholly to God], and you should rejoice because I [am giving myself wholly to God].

19 But I hope in the Lord Yeshua to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing.

My relationship with the Lord Jesus [leads me] to confidently expect that [he will enable me] to send Timothy to you soon, in order that [his telling you the news about me will encourage you. But] I also expect that [his returning to me and] telling me the news about you will encourage me.

20 For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you.

[Keep in mind that] I have no one [else] like him who genuinely cares for you.

21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Yeshua the Messiah.

All the others [whom I have considered that I might send to you] are concerned [only] about their own matters. They are not concerned about what Jesus Christ [considers important].

22 But you know that he has proved himself. As a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News.

But you know that Timothy has proved that he [serves the Lord and others faithfully. You know] that he has served [the Lord closely together] with me in [proclaiming to people] the message about Christ as though he were [SIM] my son and I were his [own] father.

23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it will go with me.

So then he is the one I confidently expect to send [to you] as soon as I know what will happen to me.

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

And I am confident that I will soon be released {[the authorities will soon release me]} [so that] the Lord will enable me also to come/go [to you] soon.

25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your emissary and servant of my need,

I have concluded that it is [really] necessary that I send Epaphroditus [back] to you. He is a fellow believer and my fellow worker, and he [endures difficulties together with me] [MET], [just like] soldiers [endure difficulties together]. You sent him [to me] in order that he might help me when I was needy [EUP].

26 since he longed for you all, and was very troubled because you had heard that he was sick.

[But I have concluded that I must send him back to you] because he has been longing to see you all. Furthermore, he has been [very] distressed because [he knows that] you heard that he had become sick.

27 For indeed he was sick nearly to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow.

Indeed, he was so sick that he almost died. However, [he did not die]. Instead, God pitied him and he also pitied me, [and as a result he healed him. God pitied me] because he did not want me to be even more sorrowful than I already was.

28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

So, I am sending him [back to you] as quickly as possible, in order that you may rejoice [when you see him again] and in order that I may be less sorrowful [than I was].

29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honour,

Welcome him very joyfully [just like believers] in [our] Lord [Jesus should welcome one another. While he was] working for Christ, he was helping me in place of you [because you were far away]. He knew that he might die as a result of helping me, and [truly] he nearly did die. So honor [him, and honor all] those who are like him.

30 because for the work of Messiah he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service towards me.