Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is
any
consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any
affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same
mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one
purpose.
KJV King James Version VERY LITERAL, but archaic English
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort
of
love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being
of one accord, of one mind.
[Oxford Eng Dict: up til the 19th C, `bowels'
could mean `pity,
compassion' as well as `intestines'
(< Lat botelus, `sausage')]
NIV New International Version MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if
any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any
tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being
like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
TM The Message PARAPHRASE
If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his
love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community
of
the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care
-
then do me a favor:
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility
of
mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not
merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the
interests of others.
KJV
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness
of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not
every
man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
NIV
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility
consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not
only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
TM
Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited
friends. Dont push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way
to
the top. Put yourself aside and help others get ahead. Don't
be
obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long
enough to lend a helping hand.
KJV
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who,
being
in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But
made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
NIV
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who,
being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something
to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of
a
servant, being made in human likeness.
TM
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.
He had
equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had
to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. When the
time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status
of a slave, became human!
NASB
Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming
obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
KJV
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and
became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
NIV
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and
became
obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
TM
Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling
process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead he lived a
selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death -
and
the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.