Philippians 2

If there is therefore any encouragement in AL-MASIH1, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit2, if any tender mercies and compassion, 2make my joy full, by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; 3doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; 4each of you not just looking to his own things, but also to the things of others.

5Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in AL-MASIH ‘ISA, 6who, though he was by nature God3, chose not to cling to his privileges as God. 7Instead he emptied himself and became a servant, and was born as a man. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the Name which is above every name; 10that at the Name of ‘ISA4 every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that ‘ISA AL-MASIH is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.

12So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. 

14Do all things without murmurings and disputes, 15that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world, 16holding up the word of life; that I may have something to boast in the day of AL-MASIH, that I didn’t run in vain nor labour in vain. 17Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all. 18In the same way, you also rejoice, and rejoice with me.

19But I hope in the LORD ‘ISA to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing. 20For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you. 21For they all seek their own, not the things of ‘ISA AL-MASIH. 22But you know Timothy’s proven character, that, as a child serves a father, so he served with me in proclaiming the Injil.5 23Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it will go with me. 24But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly. 

25But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and minister to my need; 26since he longed for you all, and was very troubled, because you had heard that he was sick. 27For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow. 28I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29Receive him therefore in the Lord6 with all joy, and hold such in honour, 30because for the work of AL-MASIH he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.

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  1. 2:1 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH.  Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
  2. 2:1 Spirit, or Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God; not an angel, created being, nor an impersonal force, but the uncreated, eternal Spirit of God himself. The Spirit was present and active at the creation of heaven and earth (see Genesis 1:2), and today lives inside of every follower of ‘ISA AL-MASIH, empowering them to live in a way pleasing to God. ↩︎
  3. 2:6 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
  4. 2:10 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
  5. 2:22 Injil, this Arabic word is derived from Euangel (Greek) and means “good news” or “Gospel” (old English for ‘good news’). Depending on context, Injil can refer to, 
    1. the whole Christian New Testament containing 27 books, 
    2. the first 4 books of the New Testament, that is, the Injil according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or,
    3. the message or “good news” of forgiveness of sins through ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed in the holy Injil (or New Testament). ↩︎
  6. 2:29 Lord, translated from the Greek kurios. Depending on context, it can refer to: 1. God, 2. ’ISA AL-MASIH, 3. men in authority, such as kings, landlords, etc., 4. a respectful salutation meaning, “sir.” ↩︎