1. So if in Christ there is anything that will move you, any incentive in love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any warmth or sympathy -- I appeal to you,

2. make my joy complete by being of a single mind, one in love, one in heart and one in mind.

3. Nothing is to be done out of jealousy or vanity; instead, out of humility of mind everyone should give preference to others,

4. everyone pursuing not selfish interests but those of others.

5. Make your own the mind of Christ Jesus:

6. Who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped.

7. But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are; and being in every way like a human being,

8. he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross.

9. And for this God raised him high, and gave him the name which is above all other names;

10. so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus

11. and that every tongue should acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12. So, my dear friends, you have always been obedient; your obedience must not be limited to times when I am present. Now that I am absent it must be more in evidence, so work out your salvation in fear and trembling.

13. It is God who, for his own generous purpose, gives you the intention and the powers to act.

14. Let your behaviour be free of murmuring and complaining

15. so that you remain faultless and pure, unspoilt children of God surrounded by a deceitful and underhand brood, shining out among them like bright stars in the world,

16. proffering to it the Word of life. Then I shall have reason to be proud on the Day of Christ, for it will not be for nothing that I have run the race and toiled so hard.

17. Indeed, even if my blood has to be poured as a libation over your sacrifice and the offering of your faith, then I shall be glad and join in your rejoicing-

18. and in the same way, you must be glad and join in my rejoicing.

19. I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you soon, so that my mind may be set at rest when I hear how you are.

20. There is nobody else that I can send who is like him and cares as sincerely for your well-being;

21. they all want to work for themselves, not for Jesus Christ.

22. But you know what sort of person he has proved himself, working with me for the sake of the gospel like a son with his father.

23. That is the man, then, that I am hoping to send to you immediately I can make out what is going to happen to me;

24. but I am confident in the Lord that I shall come myself, too, before long.

25. Nevertheless I thought it essential to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and companion-in-arms since he came as your representative to look after my needs;

26. because he was missing you all and was worrying because you had heard that he was ill.

27. Indeed he was seriously ill and nearly died; but God took pity on him -- and not only on him but also on me, to spare me one grief on top of another.

28. So I am sending him back as promptly as I can so that you will have the joy of seeing him again, and that will be some comfort to me in my distress.

29. Welcome him in the Lord, then, with all joy; hold people like him in honour,

30. because it was for Christ's work that he came so near to dying, risking his life to do the duty to me which you could not do yourselves.





“Submeter-se não significa ser escravo, mas ser livre para receber santos conselhos.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina