Philippians 2:15-30

2:15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world ¹  2:16 by holding on to ²  the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. 2:17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you. 2:18 And in the same way you also should be glad and rejoice together with me.

Models for Ministry

2:19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you. 2:20 For there is no one here like him who will readily demonstrate his deep concern for you. ³  2:21 Others are busy with their own concerns, not those of Jesus Christ. 2:22 But you know his qualifications, that like a son working with his father, he served with me in advancing the gospel. 2:23 So I hope to send him as soon as I know more about my situation, 2:24 though I am confident in the Lord that I too will be coming to see you ⁴  soon.

2:25 But for now ⁵  I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, ⁶  coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger ⁷  and minister ⁸  to me in my need. ⁹  2:26 Indeed, he greatly missed all of you and was distressed because you heard that he had been ill. 2:27 In fact he became so ill that he nearly died. ¹⁰  But God showed mercy to him – and not to him only, but also to me – so that I would not have grief on top of grief. 2:28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, ¹¹  so that when you see him again you can rejoice ¹²  and I can be free from anxiety. 2:29 So welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 2:30 since it was because of the work of Christ that he almost died. He risked his life so that he could make up for your inability to serve me. ¹³ 

[2:15]  ¹ tn Or “as stars in the universe.”

[2:16]  ² tn Or “holding out, holding forth.”

[2:20]  ³ tn Grk “For I have no one who is like-minded who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.”

[2:24]  ⁴ tn The words “to see you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied, and are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[2:25]  ⁵ tn Grk “But.” The temporal notion (“for now”) is implied in the epistolary aorist (“I have considered”), for Epaphroditus was dispatched with this letter to the Philippians.

[2:25]  ⁶ tn Grk “my brother” instead of “For he is my brother.” Verse 25 constitutes one sentence in Greek, with “my brother…” functioning appositionally to “Epaphroditus.”

[2:25]  ⁷ tn Grk “apostle.”

[2:25]  ⁸ tn The Greek word translated “minister” here is λειτουργός (leitourgo").

[2:25]  ⁹ tn Grk “servant of my need.”

[2:27]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “For he became ill to the point of death.”

[2:28]  ¹¹ tn Grk “I have sent him to you with earnestness.” But the epistolary aorist needs to be translated as a present tense with this adverb due to English stylistic considerations.

[2:28]  ¹² tn Or “when you see him you can rejoice again.”

[2:30]  ¹³ tn Grk “make up for your lack of service to me.”