FILIPPENSE 2

1 Aangesien julle die troos in Christus ondervind het, die aansporing deur die liefde, die gemeenskap deur die Gees, die innige meegevoel en meelewing — 2 maak dan nou my blydskap volkome deur eensgesind te wees: een in liefde, een van hart, een in strewe. 3 Moet niks uit selfsug of eersug doen nie, maar in nederigheid moet die een die ander hoër ag as homself. 4 Julle moenie net elkeen aan sy eie belange dink nie, maar ook aan dié van ander.

Die voorbeeld van Jesus Christus

5 Dieselfde gesindheid moet in julle wees wat daar ook in Christus Jesus was:

6 Hy wat in die gestalte van God was, het sy bestaan op Godgelyke wyse nie beskou as iets waaraan Hy Hom moes vasklem nie,

7 maar Hy het Homself verneder deur die gestalte van 'n slaaf aan te neem en aan mense gelyk te word. En toe Hy as mens verskyn het,

8 het Hy Homself verder verneder. Hy was gehoorsaam tot in die dood, ja, die dood aan die kruis.

9 Daarom het God Hom ook tot die hoogste eer verhef en Hom die Naam gegee wat bo elke naam is,

10 sodat in die Naam van Jesus elkeen wat in die hemel en op die aarde en onder die aarde is, die knie sou buig,

11 en elke tong sou erken: “Jesus Christus is Here!” tot eer van God die Vader.

Ligdraers in die wêreld

12 My geliefdes, julle was altyd gehoorsaam wanneer ek by julle was. Des te meer moet julle gehoorsaam wees nou dat ek nie daar is nie. Julle moet julle met eerbied en ontsag daarop toelê om as verloste mense te lewe, 13 want dit is God wat julle gewillig en bekwaam maak om sy wil uit te voer.

14 Doen alles sonder kla of teëpraat. 15 Sorg dat julle bo alle verdenking staan en opreg bly, onberispelike kinders van God te midde van ontaarde en korrupte mense. Tree onder hulle op as ligdraers in die wêreld 16 deur die woord van die lewe uit te dra. Dan sal ek op die dag van Christus se koms rede hê om trots te wees, omdat dit sal blyk dat ek my nie verniet ingespan het nie en nie verniet geswoeg het nie. 17 Julle geloof is 'n offer in diens van God. Selfs al word my bloed daarby as drankoffer uitgegiet, is ek daaroor bly, ja, is ek saam met julle almal bly. 18 Om dieselfde rede moet julle ook bly wees, ja, saam met my bly wees.

Die sending van Timoteus en Epafroditos

19 Ek hoop om, as die Here Jesus wil, Timoteus gou na julle toe te stuur, sodat ek ook rus in my gemoed kan hê as ek gehoor het hoe dit met julle gaan. 20 Ek het trouens niemand met dieselfde gesindheid as hy en wat julle belange so opreg sal behartig nie. 21 Al die ander soek net hulle eie belange, nie dié van Jesus Christus nie. 22 Maar julle weet hoe betroubaar Timoteus is. Soos 'n kind saam met sy vader, het hy saam met my die saak van die evangelie gedien. 23 Ek hoop om hom dadelik te stuur, sodra ek gesien het hoe my sake verloop. 24 En ek vertrou dat, as die Here wil, ek self ook gou na julle toe sal kan kom.

25 Ek ag dit noodsaaklik om die broer Epafroditos, my medewerker en medestryder wat deur julle hierheen gestuur is om my in my omstandighede by te staan, na julle toe terug te stuur. 26 Hy verlang gedurig na julle almal en bly hom daaroor kwel dat julle van sy siekte gehoor het. 27 Hy was ook inderdaad doodsiek, maar God het Hom oor Epafroditos ontferm, en nie net oor hom nie, maar ook oor my sodat ek nie verdriet op verdriet sou hê nie. 28 Ek stuur hom dan nou ook so gou moontlik terug, sodat as julle hom weer sien, julle weer bly kan wees en ek minder besorg. 29 Ontvang hom met oop arms as 'n broer in die Here, en bejeën manne soos hy met agting, 30 want deur sy werk vir Christus het hy by die dood omgedraai. Hy het sy lewe gewaag om my die hulp te verleen wat julle self nie kon gee nie.

Philippians 2

1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of charity, if any society of the spirit, if any bowels of commiseration:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that you may be of one mind, having the same charity, being of one accord, agreeing in sentiment.3 Let nothing be done through contention, neither by vain glory: but in humility, let each esteem others better than themselves:4 Each one not considering the things that are his own, but those that are other men's.5 For 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 emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.8 He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.9 For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names:10 That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth:11 And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.12 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and trembling work out your salvation.13 For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will.14 And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations;15 That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world.16 Holding forth the word of life to my glory in the day of Christ, because I have not run in vain, nor laboured in vain.17 Yea, and if I be made a victim upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and congratulate with you all.18 And for the selfsame thing do you also rejoice, and congratulate with me.19 And I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy unto you shortly, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know the things concerning you.20 For I have no man so of the same mind, who with sincere affection is solicitous for you.21 For all seek the things that are their own; not the things that are Jesus Christ's.22 Now know ye the proof of him, that as a son with the father, so hath he served with me in the gospel.23 Him therefore I hope to send unto you immediately, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.24 And I trust in the Lord, that I myself also shall come to you shortly.25 But I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow labourer, and fellow soldier, but your apostle, and he that hath ministered to my wants.26 For indeed he longed after you all: and was sad, for that you had heard that he was sick.27 For indeed he was sick, nigh unto death; but God had mercy on him; and not only on him, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.28 Therefore I sent him the more speedily: that seeing him again, you may rejoice, and I may be without sorrow.29 Receive him therefore with all joy in the Lord; and treat with honour such as he is.30 Because for the work of Christ he came to the point of death: delivering his life, that he might fulfil that which on your part was wanting towards my service.