1 IF there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Wherefore, 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.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That 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;
16 Holding 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.
17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
19 But 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.
20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.
21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.
23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.
24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.
25 Yet 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.
26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
27 For 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.
28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:
30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

1If there bee therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of loue, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels, & mercies;
2Fulfill ye my ioy, that yee be like minded, hauing the same loue, being of one accord, of one minde.
3Let nothing bee done through strife, or vaine glory, but in lowlinesse of minde let each esteeme other better then themselues.
4Looke not euery man on his owne things, but euery man also on the things of others.
5Let this minde bee in you, which was also in Christ Iesus:
6Who being in the forme of God, thought it not robbery to bee equall with God:
7But made himselfe of no reputation, and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant, and was made in the likenesse of men.
8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himselfe, and became obedient vnto death, euen the death of the Crosse.
9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and giuen him a Name which is aboue euery name:
10That at the Name of Iesus euery knee should bow, of things in heauen, and things in earth, and things vnder the earth:
11And that euery tongue should confesse, that Iesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12Wherefore, my beloued, as yee haue alwayes obeyed, not as in my presence onely, but now much more in my absence; worke out your owne saluation with feare, and trembling.
13For it is God which worketh in you, both to will, and to doe, of his good pleasure.
14Doe all things without murmurings, and disputings:
15That yee may bee blamelesse and harmelesse, the sonnes of God, without rebuke, in the middes of a crooked and peruerse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world:
16Holding foorth the word of life, that I may reioyce in the day of Christ, that I haue not runne in vaine, neither laboured in vaine.
17Yea, and if I bee offered vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith, I ioy, and reioyce with you all.
18For the same cause also doe ye ioy, and reioyce with me.
19But I trust in the Lord Iesus, to send Timotheus shortly vnto you, that I also may bee of good comfort, when I know your state.
20For I haue no man like minded, who will naturally care for your state.
21For all seeke their owne, not the things which are Iesus Christs.
22But ye know the proofe of him, That as a sonne with the father, hee hath serued with me, in the Gospel.
23Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soone as I shall see how it wil goe with me.
24But I trust in the Lord, that I also my selfe shall come shortly.
25Yet I supposed it necessary, to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and companion in labour, and fellow souldiour, but your messenger, and hee that ministred to my wants.
26For hee longed after you all, and was full of heauinesse, because that yee had heard that he had bene sicke.
27For indeed he was sicke nigh vnto death, but God had mercy on him: and not on him onely, but on mee also, lest I should haue sorow vpon sorow.
28I sent him therefore the more carefully, that when ye see him againe, ye may reioyce, and that I may bee the lesse sorrowfull.
29Receiue him therfore in the Lord with all gladnesse, and hold such in reputation:
30Because for the worke of Christ he was nigh vnto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lacke of seruice toward me.

1 If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. 3 Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, 4 each looking out not for his own interests, but (also) everyone for those of others. 5 Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, 6 Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, 8 he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. 9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work. 14 Do everything without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, 16 as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 But, even if I am poured out as a libation upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with all of you. 18 In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me. 19 I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be heartened by hearing news of you. 20 For I have no one comparable to him for genuine interest in whatever concerns you. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know his worth, how as a child with a father he served along with me in the cause of the gospel. 23 He it is, then, whom I hope to send as soon as I see how things go with me, 24 but I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon. 25 With regard to Epaphroditus, my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier, your messenger and minister in my need, I consider it necessary to send him to you. 26 For he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 He was indeed ill, close to death; but God had mercy on him, not just on him but also on me, so that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I send him therefore with the greater eagerness, so that, on seeing him, you may rejoice again, and I may have less anxiety. 29 Welcome him then in the Lord with all joy and hold such people in esteem, 30 because for the sake of the work of Christ he came close to death, risking his life to make up for those services to me that you could not perform.

v 1 “If” is a sure thing, “since”. Therefore refers back to the unity commanded in 1:27. Why unity is possible: (a) Since there is consolation or encouragement of which Christ is the source; (b) Comfort from God’s love; (c) Fellowship with the indwelling Holy Spirit; (d) Since the Holy Spirit also shows tenderness and compassion, (see v 2)
v 2. Paul would have joy seeing them (a) like minded; (b) Having the same love; (c) Of one accord or spirit  (d) Of one mind or purpose.
v 3,4. Further exhortation, they were to not to have selfish ambitions and conceit, but to be humbly concerned about the interests of others.
v 5. Further, they were to have the same humble attitude seen in Christ.
v 6-8. Christ had full deity and all the attributes of the Father, but he yielded His outward display of those so that He could become fully man, obedient to death.
v 9. Christ is glorified or exalted as He prayed, Jn. 17:5, and given a name or position above all others. This includes His resurrection, ascension and glorification at the right hand of God.
v 10. Eventually every being in all three realms, even demons in Hell will willingly bow before Christ or will be compelled to do so.
v 11. He will be acknowledged as God, but it will be too late for salvation of souls.
v 12,13. This has led to a firm exhortation, but it is tempered with love to friends. They are not told to work for their salvation, but to work it out, or practice it, instead of the disunity that existed. They can do this as God works in them, or energizes them. He can make us both willing and desirous of doing His will. We are co-laborers with God.
v 14-16. Avoid the bad attitude of grumbling, arguing as the philosophers did, or perhaps even going to court. Those things were giving them a poor testimony before the perverted world in which they lived, instead of letting their lights shine. Keep living and presenting the word so that Paul or anyone can rejoice at the time of the Rapture.
v 17,18. In view of his possible death as a martyr, Paul considers himself as being poured out as a drink offering in sacrifice to God. We should offer our bodies a living sacrifice unto God, Rom. 12:1, and experience the same joy and rejoicing as Paul.
v 19. Due to his imprisonment, Paul is sending his letter by Epaphroditus,  soon Timothy. It was a sacrifice to do without him, but the letter and Timothy are both a part of follow up work, and Paul hopes to be cheered by the report Timothy brings back.
v 20,21. There was no one else available but Timothy who would show the selflessness Paul had and what he wanted them to have.
v 22. They knew what Paul said about his spiritual son and co-laborer was true.
v 23,24. Paul would send Timothy as soon as he knew the outcome of his legal case. He was apparently released for a time, whether or not he got back to Philipi.
v 25. They  sent Epaphroditus with gifts, 4:18, and to assist Paul, who returns him.
v 26,27. Epaphroditus is anxious to see the people. Paul had not healed him, but the Lord rescued him from dying, which would have added to Paul’s burdens.
v 28-30. Paul hastened to send Epaphroditus so they were not to think he had failed because of his near death experience, but welcome him and rejoice that he had been able to do what they could not.