(27)Only let your deportment be as becomes the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or remain absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (28)and in nothing terrified by the adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation[1:28], and that from God. (29)Because to you it was granted in behalf of Christ,--not only to believe on him,--but in his behalf to suffer also; (30)having the same conflict as ye saw in me, and now hear of in me. II. IF then there is any consolation[2:1] in Christ, if any comfort from love, if any communion of the Spirit, if any tender affection and compassion, (2)make my joy complete, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of the one mind; (3)doing nothing through contentiousness or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each esteeming others better than himself; (4)regarding not each one his own, but each one also the things of others. (5)Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; (6)who, being in the form of God, did not account it robbery to be equal with God; (7)but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. (8)And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (9)Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave him a name which is above every name; (10)that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of beings in heaven, and of beings on earth, and of beings under the earth, (11)and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (12)Wherefore, my beloved, as ye always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (13)for it is God who works in you both to will and to perform, of his good pleasure. (14)Do all without murmurings and disputings; (15)that ye may become blameless and simple, children of God, unreproachable, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye appear as do the heavenly lights in the world; (16)holding forth[1:16] the word of life; for a ground of glorying to me at the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain, or labor in vain. (17)But even if I am poured out on the sacrifice and ministration of your faith, I rejoice, and I rejoice with you all. (18)For the same cause[2:18], do ye also rejoice, and rejoice with me.