¶ If there be among you any consolation in Christ, if there be any comfortable love, if there be any fellowship of the spirit, if there be any compassion of mercy: fulfil my joy, that ye draw one way, having one love, being of one accord, and of one mind, that nothing be done thorow strife or vain glory, but in meekness of mind. Let every person think every other man better than himself, so that ye consider every man, not what is in himself: But what is in wother men.
¶ Let the same mind be in you the which was in Christ Iesu: Which being in the shape of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Nevertheless he made himself of no reputation, and took on him the shape of a servant, and became like unto men, and was found in his apparel as a man. He humbled himself and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God hath exalted him, and given him a name above all names: that in the name of Iesus should every knee bow, both of things in heaven, and things in earth and things under earth, and that all tongues should confess that Iesus Christ is the Lord unto the praise of God the father.
¶ Wherefore my dearly beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not when I was present only, but now much more in mine absence, even so perform your own health with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you, both the will and also the deed, even of good will.
¶ Do all thinge without murmuring and disputing, that ye may be faultless, and pure, and the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked, and a perverse nation, among which see that ye shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, unto my rejoicing in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither have laboured in vain. Yea and though I be offered up on your sacrifice and of your serving of God in the faith: I rejoice and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also, rejoice ye, and rejoice ye with me.
¶ I trust in the Lord Iesus for to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know what case ye stand in. For I have no man that is so like minded to me, which with so pure affection careth for your matters. For all others seek their own, and not that which is Iesus Christe's. Ye know the proof of him, how that as a son with the father, so with me bestowed he his labour upon the gospell. Him I hope to send as soon as I know how it will go with me. I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.
¶ I supposed it necessary to send brother Epaphreditus unto you, my companion in labour and fellowsoldier, your apostle, and my minister at my needs. For he longed after you, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard say that he should be sick, and no doubt he was sick, and that nye unto death, but God had mercy on him: not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have had sorrow upon sorrow.
¶ I sent him therefore the diligentlier, that when ye should see him, ye might rejoice again, and I might be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and make much of such: because that for the work of Christ he went so far, that he was nye unto death, and regarded not his life, to fulfil that service which was lacking on your part toward me.
© Faith of God
William Tyndale 1526