He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!

I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. ¹ 

and by not being intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is ¹  a sign of their ²  destruction, but of your salvation – a sign which ³  is from God.

As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,

but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, ¹  by looking like other men, ²  and by sharing in human nature. ³ 

But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

But you know his qualifications, that like a son working with his father, he served with me in advancing the gospel.

For I am sure of this very thing, ¹  that the one ²  who began a good work in ³  you will perfect it ⁴  until the day of Christ Jesus.

I do not say this because I am seeking a gift. ¹  Rather, I seek the credit that abounds to your account.

I feel torn between the two, ¹  because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far,

Finally, my brothers and sisters, ¹  rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

For I have received everything, and I have plenty. I have all I need because I received from Epaphroditus what you sent – a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, very pleasing to God.

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.

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 

by holding on to ¹  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.

and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness ¹  – a righteousness from God that is in fact ²  based on Christ’s ³  faithfulness. ⁴ 

Only conduct yourselves ¹  in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that – whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent – I should hear that ²  you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel, ³ 

In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.

The ¹  whole imperial guard ²  and everyone else knows ³  that I am in prison ⁴  for the sake of Christ,

Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view. ¹  If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways. ²