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 thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. 26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because ye had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick near to 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 eagerly, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. [1] 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: [2] 30 Because for the work of Christ he was near to death, not regarding his life, to supply the want of your service toward me.
CHAP. 3.
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.
3 For we are the true circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath reason to trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; with respect to the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; with respect to the righteousness which is by the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them to be dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death;
11 If by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I press on, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended by Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye are otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you.
16 Nevertheless, to what we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them who walk even as ye have us for an example.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20 For our citizenship is in heaven; from which also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: [3]
21 Who shall change our lowly body, that it may be fashioned like his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself.
CHAP. 4.
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
3 And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women who laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth