94 lines
3.7 KiB
Markdown
94 lines
3.7 KiB
Markdown
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## Christ's Humility and Exaltation
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###### 1
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Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
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###### 2
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fulfill my joy, that you think the same _way_, by maintaining the same love, _being_ united in spirit, thinking on one purpose,
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###### 3
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doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain glory, but with humility of mind regarding one another as more important than yourselves,
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###### 4
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not _merely_ looking out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
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###### 5
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Have this _way of_ thinking in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
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###### 6
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who, although existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
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###### 7
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but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a slave, by being made in the likeness of men.
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###### 8
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Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
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###### 9
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Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
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###### 10
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so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
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###### 11
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and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.
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###### 12
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So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
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###### 13
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for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for _His_ good pleasure.
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###### 14
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Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
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###### 15
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so that you will be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
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###### 16
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holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to boast because I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.
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###### 17
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But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
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###### 18
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And you also, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
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## Timothy and Epaphroditus Sent
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###### 19
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But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be in good spirits when I learn of your circumstances.
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###### 20
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For I have no one _else_ of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned about your circumstances.
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###### 21
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For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.
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###### 22
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But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child _serving_ his father.
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###### 23
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Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I evaluate my own circumstances,
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###### 24
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and I am confident in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.
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###### 25
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But I regarded it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;
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###### 26
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because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
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###### 27
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For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.
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###### 28
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Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned.
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###### 29
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Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard
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###### 30
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because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to fulfill what was lacking in your service to me.
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