1. Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy,
2. complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose.
3. Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.
4. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.
5. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,
6. who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with Godas something to be grasped,
7. but emptied himselfby taking on the form of a slave,by looking like other men,and by sharing in human nature.
8. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!
9. As a result God exalted himand gave him the namethat is above every name,
10. so that at the name of Jesusevery knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth –
11. and every tongue confessthat Jesus Christ is Lordto the glory of God the Father.
12. So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence,
13. for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.
14. Do everything without grumbling or arguing,