Thinking Like Christ

2 Are you cheerful because you belong to Christ? Does his love comfort you? Is the Holy Spirit your companion? Has Christ been gentle and loving toward you? 2Then make my joy complete by agreeing with each other. Have the same love. Be one in spirit and purpose.

3Don’t do anything only to get ahead. Don’t do it because you are proud. Instead, be free of pride. Think of others as better than yourselves.

4None of you should look out just for your own good. You should also look out for the good of others.

5You should think in the same way Christ Jesus does.

6 In his very nature he was God.

But he did not think that being equal with God was something he should hold on to.

7 Instead, he made himself nothing.

He took on the very nature of a servant.

He was made in human form.

8 He appeared as a man.

He came down to the lowest level.

He obeyed God completely, even though it led to his death.

In fact, he died on a cross.

9 So God lifted him up to the highest place.

He gave him the name that is above every name.

10 When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone’s knee will bow to worship him.

Every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow to worship him.

11 Everyone’s mouth will say that Jesus Christ is Lord.

And God the Father will receive the glory.

Living Like Christ

12My dear friends, you have always obeyed God. You obeyed while I was with you. And you have obeyed even more while I am not with you. So continue to work out your own salvation. Do it with fear and trembling. 13God is working in you. He wants your plans and your acts to be in keeping with his good purpose.

14Do everything without finding fault or arguing. 15Then you will be pure and without blame. You will be children of God without fault in a sinful and evil world. Among the people of the world you shine like stars in the heavens. 16You shine as you hold out to them the word of life. So I can brag about you on the day Christ returns. I can be happy that I didn’t run or work for nothing.

17But my life might even be poured out like a drink offering on your sacrifices. I’m talking about the way you serve because you believe. Even so, I am glad. I am joyful with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and joyful with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19I hope to send Timothy to you soon if the Lord Jesus allows it. Then I will be cheered up when I receive news about you. 20I have no one else like Timothy. He truly cares about how you are doing.

21All the others are looking out for their own interests. They are not looking out for the interests of Jesus Christ. 22But you know that Timothy has proved himself. He has served with me like a son with his father in spreading the good news.

23So I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24And I’m sure I myself will come soon if the Lord allows it.

25But I think it’s necessary to send Epaphroditus back to you. He is my brother in the Lord. He is a worker and a soldier of Christ together with me. He is also your messenger. You sent him to take care of my needs. 26He longs for all of you. He is troubled because you heard he was sick.

27He was very sick. In fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him. He also had mercy on me. God spared me sadness after sadness. 28So I want even more to send him to you. Then when you see him again, you will be glad. And I won’t worry so much.

29Welcome him as a brother in the Lord with great joy. Honor people like him. 30He almost died for the work of Christ. He put his life in danger to make up for the help you couldn’t give me.

Do Not Trust Human Nature

3 Finally, my brothers and sisters, be joyful because you belong to the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write about some important matters to you again. If you know about them, you will have a safe path to follow.

2Watch out for those dogs. They do evil things. When they circumcise, it is nothing more than a useless cutting of the body.

3But we have been truly circumcised. We worship God by the power of his Spirit. We brag about what Christ Jesus has done. We don’t put our trust in our weak human nature.

4I have many reasons to trust in my human nature. Others may think they have reasons to trust in theirs. But I have even more. 5I was circumcised on the eighth day. I am part of the people of Israel. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. I am a pure Hebrew. As far as the law is concerned, I am a Pharisee. 6As far as being committed is concerned, I opposed and attacked the church. As far as keeping the Law is concerned, I kept it perfectly.

7I thought things like that were for my benefit. But now I consider them to be nothing because of Christ. 8Even more, I consider everything to be nothing compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. To know him is the best thing of all. Because of him I have lost everything. But I consider all of it to be garbage so I can get to know Christ. 9I want to be joined to him.

For me, being right with God does not come from the law. It comes because I believe in Christ. It comes from God. It is received by faith.

10I want to know Christ better. I want to know the power that raised him from the dead. I want to share in his sufferings. I want to become like him by sharing in his death. 11Then by God’s grace I will rise from the dead.

Moving on Toward the Goal

12I have not yet received all of those things. I have not yet been made perfect. But I move on to take hold of what Christ Jesus took hold of me for.

13Brothers and sisters, I don’t consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me. 14I move on toward the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself.

15All of us who are grown up in the faith should see things that way. Maybe you think differently about something. But God will make it clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already reached.

17Brothers and sisters, join with others in following my example. Pay close attention to those who live in keeping with the pattern we gave you.

18I have told you those things many times before. Now I say it again with tears in my eyes. Many people live like enemies of the cross of Christ. 19The only thing they have coming to them is death. Their stomach is their god. They brag about what they should be ashamed of. They think only about earthly things.

20But we are citizens of heaven. And we can hardly wait for a Savior from there. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. 21He has the power to bring everything under his control. By his power he will change our earthly bodies. They will become like his glorious body.

4 My brothers and sisters, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord’s strength. I love you and long for you. Dear friends, you are my joy and my crown.

Do What Is Best

2Here is what I’m asking Euodia and Syntyche to do. I want them to agree with each other because they belong to the Lord.

3My true companion, here is what I ask you to do. Help those women. They have served at my side. They have helped me spread the good news. So have Clement and the rest of those who have worked together with me. Their names are all written in the Book of Life.

4Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful. 5Let everyone know how gentle you are. The Lord is coming soon.

6Don’t worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him. 7Then God’s peace will watch over your hearts and your minds because you belong to Christ Jesus. God’s peace can never be completely understood.

8Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kinds of things. 9Do what you have learned or received or heard from me. Follow my example.

The God who gives peace will be with you.

Paul Gives Thanks for Help Received

10At last you are concerned about me again. That makes me very happy. We belong to the Lord. I know that you have been concerned. But you had no chance to show it.

11I’m not saying that because I need anything. I have learned to be content no matter what happens to me. 12I know what it’s like not to have what I need. I also know what it’s like to have more than I need. I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens. I am content whether I am well fed or hungry. I am content whether I have more than enough or not enough. 13I can do everything by the power of Christ. He gives me strength.

14But it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15And you believers at Philippi know what happened when I left Macedonia. Not one church helped me in the matter of giving and receiving. You were the only one that did. That was in the early days when you first heard the good news. 16Even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me help when I needed it. You did it again and again.

17I’m not looking for a gift. I’m looking for what is best for you. 18I have received my full pay, and even more than that. I have everything I need. That’s because Epaphroditus brought me the gifts you sent. They are a sweet-smelling offering. They are a gift that God accepts. He is pleased with it.

19My God will meet all your needs. He will meet them in keeping with his wonderful riches that come to you because you belong to Christ Jesus.

20Give glory to our God and Father for ever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

21Greet all of God’s people. They belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. 22All of God’s people here send you greetings. Most of all, those who live in the palace of Caesar send you greetings.

23May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Colossians

1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. Our brother Timothy joins me in writing.

2We are sending this letter to you, our brothers and sisters in Colosse. You belong to Christ. You are holy and faithful.

May God our Father give you grace and peace.

Paul Prays and Gives Thanks

3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you. 4We thank him because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus. We have also heard that you love all of God’s people.

5Your faith and love are based on the hope you have. What you hope for is stored up for you in heaven. You have already heard about it. You were told about it when the message of truth was given to you. I’m talking about the good news 6that has come to you.

All over the world the good news is bearing fruit and growing. It has been doing that among you since the day you heard it. That is when you understood God’s grace in all its truth.

7You learned the good news from Epaphras. He is dear to us. He serves Christ together with us. He faithfully works for Christ and for us among you. 8He also told us about your love that comes from the Holy Spirit.

9That’s why we have not stopped praying for you. We have been praying for you since the day we heard about you. We have been asking God to fill you with the knowledge of what he wants. We pray that he will give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.

10We pray that you will lead a life that is worthy of the Lord. We pray that you will please him in every way. So we want you to bear fruit in every good thing you do. We want you to grow to know God better. 11We want you to be very strong, in keeping with his glorious power. We want you to be patient. Never give up. Be joyful 12as you give thanks to the Father.

He has made you fit to share with all his people. You will all receive a share in the kingdom of light.

13He has saved us from the kingdom of darkness. He has brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14Because of what the Son has done, we have been set free. Because of him, all of our sins have been forgiven.

Christ Is Far Above Everything

15Christ is the exact likeness of God, who can’t be seen. He is first, and he is over all of creation. 16All things were created by him. He created everything in heaven and on earth. He created everything that can be seen and everything that can’t be seen. He created kings, powers, rulers and authorities. Everything was created by him and for him. 17Before anything was created, he was already there. He holds everything together.

18And he is the head of the body, which is the church. He is the beginning. He is the first to be raised from the dead. That happened so that he would be far above everything. 19God was pleased to have his whole nature living in Christ. 20God was pleased to bring all things back to himself because of what Christ has done. That includes all things on earth and in heaven. God made peace through Christ’s blood, through his death on the cross.

21At one time you were separated from God. You were enemies in your minds because of your evil ways. 22But because Christ died, God has brought you back to himself. Christ’s death has made you holy in God’s sight. So now you don’t have any flaw. You are free from blame.

23But you must keep your faith steady and firm. Don’t move away from the hope that the good news holds out to you. It is the good news that you heard. It has been preached to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, now serve the good news.

Paul’s Work for the Church

24I am happy because of what was suffered for you. And in my body I fill up my share in Christ’s sufferings. I do it for his body, which is the church. 25I serve the church. God appointed me to bring all of his word to you.

26That word contains the mystery that has been hidden for many ages. But now it has been made known to God’s people. 27God has chosen to make known to them the glorious riches of that mystery. He has made it known among those who aren’t Jews. And here is what it is. Christ is in you. He is your hope of glory.

28We preach about him. With all the wisdom we have, we warn and teach everyone. When we bring them to God, we want them to be perfect as people who belong to Christ.

29That’s what I’m working for. I work hard with all of Christ’s strength. His strength works powerfully in me.