When Paul wrote this letter he did not put a chapter break between the last verse of "chapter 1" and the first verse of "chapter 2" – so, for continuation of thought, let us read some of the previous verses and then continue:
"…1.27only, you must live-being-citizens worthily of the good-message of Christ in order that whether having come and having seen you or being absent I hear the-things concerning you that you stand-firm in one spirit, one soul, contending-together with the belief of the good-message, .28and not being caused-to-scare in nothing by the (ones) adversarying, which is for them a pointing-out of destruction but your salvation; and this from God .29because it was graced to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe into him but also to suffer on behalf of him, .30having the same contest of-the-kind you saw in me and now you hear (it). "
Philippians 2:1 and 2:
2:1Therefore since (there is) some encouragement in Christ, since (there is) some comfort of love1, since (there is) some sharing-in-common of spirit, since (there are) some inner-parts and pities, .2you must fulfill my joy in order that you may think the same-thing, having the same love1, souled-together-people thinking the one-thing,
Having explained to the Philippian holy-people (sanctified-people, Christians, saints, children of God) that it was graced to them on behalf of Christ not only to believe into him but also to suffer on behalf of him, Paul continues: following-on logically...
...you must fulfill my joy (fill or make-full my rejoicing), the purpose and result to be that you would presently and actively think the same-thing (have the same thought in your mind, which would be in accordance with what I am writing which is God's Word), having the same love1 (holding and manifesting-forth the Godly-love itself), souled-together-people thinking the one-thing (people with joined breath-life, living and breathing in conjunction with one-another in character and disposition, having the one thing in your mind, which is God's Word to/for you) in the walk/behavior category during the everyday living of your lives.
[Reference: Romans 12:1 and 16, 15:5; I Corinthians 12:7-14; II Corinthians 13:14; Philippians 1:8.]
Verses 3 and 4:
.3(doing) nothing according to work-for-ambitious-purposes nor empty-glory but with humbleness-of-mind leading (your mind to regard) one-another (who are) the (people) being-superior of yourselves, .4each (individually of you must) not (be) scoping the-things of yourselves but also each (collectively of you must be scoping) the-things of different-people,
Paul continues that these holy-people should be doing, thinking and saying: not one thing in accordance with…
…nor…
…but contrary to behaving in that manner, you must be leading before or in-front-of your mind to regard (you must be taking the initiative or going beforehand in your mind to view) one-another with humbleness of mind (humility or lowliness of your mind's thoughts, in the position of having humble-thinking with respect to what God says and the things of God, esteeming humbleness of mind towards one-another), that is, towards the holy-people among you who are being-superior of yourselves (who are presently and actively holding a position or rank of authority over you, emphatically in relation to you yourselves, within the one body, for the purpose of protecting you, like a rock projection jutting-out above and beyond what is under it and thereby sheltering what is underneath from rain or anything else coming downwards).
You must be doing, thinking, saying nothing according to work-for-ambitious-purposes nor empty-glory but with humbleness-of-mind leading your mind to regard one-another who are the people being-superior of yourselves. Each of you individually must not be scoping (watching or looking intensely-at as a target so as to determine your own action carefully) the things which belong-to yourselves (your own concerns as though you were individual units), but on the contrary, each of you collectively must also be scoping the things belonging-to different people (the concerns of others, as a collective unit, all tied together because you all make up the one spiritual body of Christ because you all have the spirit of Christ in you).
[Reference: Romans 12:10, 13:1-4; I Corinthians 10:24; Galatians 5:26; Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 1:1 and 17; Colossians 3:12.]
Verses 5-8:
.5for you must think this in you which (is) also in Christ Jesus, .6who being-from-the-beginning in (the) form of God did not lead (his mind to regard it as his) catch to be equals with God, .7but he emptied himself, having taken (the) form of a slave, having become in (the) likeness of man, and having been found with (the) outward-figure as man, .8he humbled himself, having become obedient up-until death, even death of (the) cross;
In truth, you holy-people must think this in you (have this being your thought in your mind while interacting in and among yourselves), which is also in Christ Jesus, (the following is an explanation of his thinking, how he behaved himself according to God's will towards God, mankind, and everything else, when he was physically living on earth before his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension):
…who, being from the beginning in the form of God (Christ Jesus originated and continues being in God's form). God fashioned him. God made his whole-shape, his being. From his beginning, his start of life, Christ Jesus was and still is in the form of God because God is the One Who made him, Who brought him into being. He did not begin to be in existence all by himself nor by mankind nor by something else.
It must be noted that "the form of God" cannot be referring to Jesus Christ's external appearance as a result of God creating the seed which made him within Mary, Jesus Christ's mother, because God is Spirit and does not have a physical or fleshy body. Jesus Christ was a physical man with soul/breath-life and a fleshy body. He did not have holy spirit-life within him until God gave it to him when he was about 29-30 years of age after he was baptized by John the baptizer (refer to Matthew 3:16 and 17). Plus when we consider the context in which Paul is writing these verses by revelation, it is very clear that he is referring to Jesus Christ's make-up, everything including his authority, his ability, all the power at his disposal to work-with and use, which were given to him by his Father Who was and still is God.
Paul wrote: for you must think this in you which is also in Christ Jesus, who being from the beginning in the form of God:
The word "equals" is in the plural form in the Greek texts and emphasizes total-equality. It denotes equal-things, being equally proportioned, equality in measure, quantity, quality, amount, number, etc. Jesus Christ did not and still does not regard that to be equals with God is something to be taken by him as booty, as though he were identical in value and in relation to/with God, as though he were the same entity, as though he also was a god and could take God's place! This, of course, is what the first man, Adam, grasped at attaining when he listened and believed and obeyed the lie of the serpent (satan, the devil). Satan himself continues trying to do that using many different strategies but he will continue to fail. [For further information regarding what Adam did, you may read my study of Appendix to Romans, the Fall of Adam; and you may read the Book of Revelation which tells about satan's complete and utter defeat, his final end.]
Being-from-the-beginning in the form of God, he did not lead his mind to regard it as his catch to be equals with God – but contrary to thinking that way, Jesus Christ:
God's son, Jesus Christ, became in the likeness of man and was with the outward-figure as man, not a fish, nor a cow, nor a bird, not even in the likeness and outward-figure of any kind of angel or other spirit-being during that time-period! Jesus Christ was only able to redeem mankind and do all that God wanted him to do at that time because he was a man just the same as any other man, mankind (refer to Hebrews chapter 2).
God supplied the promised seed of Genesis 3:15 and Jesus Christ was born of a woman, Mary. After Jesus Christ's birth, he learned and believed what God said about him. He came to know what was involved by means of God's Word, which had previously been revealed to and written-down by the old covenant prophets, and by means of God's Word by revelation directly to Jesus Christ at that time via the holy spirit-life which God gave to him after he had been water-baptized by John. Jesus Christ knew and believed that he was all that God made him to be being God's son.
Jesus Christ was not born with a fully-developed brain quoting scriptures! He was not "automatically" obedient to God Who was and is his Father, nor was he "programmed" into listening attentively and carrying out exactly what God told him. Jesus Christ learned all about himself and how to obey God as a growing boy from his mother, Mary, and from Joseph, and from teachers, becoming highly educated, and when he reached maturity he was strongly-living within obedience to God's Word concerning his life. Jesus Christ did not reject what God gave him – he accepted and walked in all the fullness of what God made him to be as he obeyed his Father, carrying-out God's will in all that God asked of him.
Paul points out in this letter to the Philippian holy-people that Jesus Christ's obedience went all the way up-until his death, and not a death resulting from old age, but the shameful death by being hung on a cross, which was an upright stake (a dead tree post) stuck into the ground, and he was nailed onto it to keep him there until he died. Jesus Christ most certainly emptied himself and humbled himself having become obedient to the words of God, his Father, in carrying-out all that was necessary for complete redemption and salvation.
Rereading verses 5-8:
".5for you must think this in you which (is) also in Christ Jesus, .6who being-from-the-beginning in (the) form of God did not lead (his mind to regard it as his) catch to be equals with God, .7but he emptied himself, having taken (the) form of a slave, having become in (the) likeness of man, and having been found with (the) outward-figure as man, .8he humbled himself, having become obedient up-until death, even death of (the) cross…."
[Reference: Isaiah chapter 53; Matthew 20:27 and 28, 26:39 and 42, chapter 27; Mark 1:1-11; John 1:14-34, 5:17-47, 6:32-71, chapter 8, 10:36, 13:1-17, and chapters 17-19; Acts 7:39; Romans 1:23, 8:3, 10:4, 15:3; I Corinthians 7:31; II Corinthians 2:9; Galatians 3:10-14; Ephesians 2:13-18; Hebrews chapter 2, 5:8 and 9, 12:2 and 3.]
Verses 9-11:
.9on-which-account God also super-heightened him and graced to him the name, the (name which is) over every name, .10in order that in the name of Jesus every knee of heavenly and of earthly and of underground (beings) may bend, .11and every tongue may expressly-agree that (the) Lord (is) Jesus Christ into (the) glory of God (the) Father.
It was on account of all that Jesus Christ did for and with God, as described in verses 6-8, that God emphatically:
…in order that in the name of Jesus (for the purpose and result that within the sphere of action of the name of Jesus)…
(a) of heavenly (the word "heavenly" is plural in the Greek texts and refers to all the beings which belong or pertain to the heavenly-realm, all spirits which are alive above the earth), and
(b) of earthly (the word "earthly" is plural in the Greek texts and refers to all the beings which belong or pertain to the earthly-realm, all who and which are alive on earth), and
(c) of underground (the word "underground" is plural in the Greek texts and refers to all the beings which belong or pertain to the underground realm, all who are dead at the present time but will be raised up by Christ in the future),…
…may bend (would definitely curve – this is a figure referring to every living-being being in homage and submission to the name of Jesus, except God of course – see I Corinthians 15:20-28), and
When reading the phrase "in the name of," we should understand that when God talks about something being done "in the name of" something or someone else, it incorporates the fullness of everything involved with the one named. A name is a word or phrase given to a person, etc, to be called and known-by, in order to designate and describe the distinguishing and distinctive constitution, character, quality, workings, etc.
"Jesus" means "God saves / Jehovah (Yahweh) the Savior," and the Lord Jesus Christ was given that name "Jesus" because he is the one who carried-out God's will to make it available for people to be saved, to be made-safe. It is by means of Jesus, the Christ, that people are able to be saved and thereby have a true and vital spiritual relationship with the only true God.
Regarding the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, it includes all that the name of "Lord" and the name of "Jesus" and the name of "Christ" represent and stand for. "In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ" means: within the sphere of action of all the authoritative-power, and ability, etc, that God gave to Jesus when he raised him up out-from the dead-people, and gave him the name that is above every other name, designating the resurrected Jesus being Lord and Christ (refer to Acts 2:21 and 38; 3:6 and 16; 4:7-12, and 30; Romans 1:3 and 4; Ephesians 1:19-23; II Thessalonians 3:6; and chapter 1 of Philippians).
Again, verses 9-11 read:
".9on-which-account God also super-heightened him and graced to him the name, the (name which is) over every name, .10in order that in the name of Jesus every knee of heavenly and of earthly and of underground (beings) may bend, .11and every tongue may expressly-agree that (the) Lord (is) Jesus Christ into (the) glory of God (the) Father."
[Reference: Psalm 8:6; Isaiah 45:22-25; Matthew chapter 28; Acts 2:32-36, 5:30-32; Romans 10:9 and 10, 14:7-12; Ephesians 1:20-23, 3:14 and 15; Hebrews 1:1-6; Revelation 19:11-16. To learn more about what the Lord Jesus Christ will accomplish in the future, we would need to read many portions of the Bible, however, my studies on I Thessalonians, II Thessalonians, and chapter 15 of I Corinthians will help.]
Verses 12 and 13:
.12So-that my loved-people1 according as you always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much rather in my absence, with fear and trembling you must render-to-work the salvation of yourselves, .13for God is the (One) in-working in you both to intend and to in-work on behalf of (His) good-consideration;
Paul addresses these Philippian holy-people as his loved-people1 thereby letting them know that he loved them with God's love. He writes: the result or consequence of all that God and the Lord Jesus Christ have accomplished, my Godly-loved-people, according as you have constantly obeyed (at all past times you have listened-attentively and then carried-out what I tell you regarding God's Word), not as during the times of my presence only (not alone at my coming, arrival and then being with you), but on the contrary, at the present time much rather (a lot more, more-so, more and more, constantly-increasing – not "instead-of" – very much more by a big amount) during my absence (being physically away from you), you must presently render-to-work (cause to effect, effectively bring-down, achieve in the walk/behavior category) the salvation of yourselves (emphatically the salvation which pertains and belongs to you) in company and association with fear (fright, being afraid at the consequences of the performance of any wrong behavior, you should manifest the awe and respect that is rightfully due and ought to be shown towards God including all that pertains to your being made safe to God) and trembling (as a shaking or quaking, with tremendous-intensity).
All holy-people/Christians are already saved because we have all previously received the gift of holy spirit – this is what makes us holy. Paul is teaching about the walk (behavior, conduct) category, how we holy-people ought to live our everyday lives with and for God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
How is it available for us to achieve rendering to work (not sitting back, taking it easy and relaxing – but rendering to work) the salvation of ourselves with fear and trembling during the everyday living of our lives? Paul explains: in truth God presently and actively is the One Who is in-working (doing work within, producing effects by being in work, energizing) within you holy-people…
a. both to intend (to actively will, to have the active volition, the intending, the willingness)
b. and to in-work (to actively work within, to produce effects by being in work, to energize, to have the in-working, the energy)…
…on behalf of His good-consideration (in the interests of the willing-purpose with good-design, that-which God considers or supposes to be well).
God in-works within all holy-people via our holy spirit-life – this is explained in detail in chapter 12 of my study on I Corinthians.
What an eye-opener this is! We holy-people do not need to have Paul, or any other man or woman of God, physically with us or physically absent away-from us in order for us to know what God's intention and work is during any situation. Yes, it would be very helpful for us if Paul were with us or even if he were somewhere else sending us letters today, but this is not the criteria nor is it a necessity to be able to walk with and for God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
We all have holy spirit-life within us and God is the One in-working in us, both to intend and to in-work on behalf of God’s good-consideration. God’s in-working emphatically includes the intending and the working-within, not only one without the other. Therefore it cannot be that our holy spirit would intend to do God’s good-consideration but would not have the energy, or would energize but it would be against its will – God takes care of both parts of His complete in-working. The only true God does not control and force people or spirits to do/say what He would want them to do/say in all situations, but God will always make it available to be done or said. Of course, it is up to each one of us to be receptive to what is being communicated to us via our holy spirit, to believe it being true to and for ourselves, and then to carry it out during the everyday living of our lives.
[Reference: I Corinthians 2:3; I Corinthians 12:6-11; Ephesians 1:5 and 9, 6:5 and 13; I Thessalonians 2:13, 4:15.]
Verses 14-18:
.14you must do all-things without murmurings and through-calculations .15in order that you may be without-blame and unmixed, children of God without-blemish (in the) midst of a crooked generation, even having been throughly-turned2, among whom you are brought-to-light as star-lights in (the) world .16holding-onto (the) word of life, into a boast with me into (the) day of Christ because I did not run into emptiness nor did I labor into emptiness .17but since also I am poured on the sacrifice and official-service of your belief I joy and joy-together with you all, .18but the same-thing you also must joy and must joy-together with me.
Here the context is that you must render-to-work the salvation of yourselves, for God is the One in-working in you both to intend and to in-work on behalf of His good-consideration. Paul continues: you must presently and actively do all-things (perform all things relative to obeying what God communicates to you via your holy spirit)…
For the purpose and result that, during the everyday living of your lives in the walk/behavior category, you would be:
…in the middle of a crooked generation (amid a race, decent, or kind which is bent, as though it is bent-sideways from dryness, lacking liquid, refusing the water and nourishment from God, rejecting His Word and the gift of holy spirit, and therefore that generation is not straight-forward but is bent away from living towards the only true God and the Lord Jesus Christ and all the things of God), and that generation is even having been throughly-turned and is still throughly-turned (it is completely turned-around, it has twisted 180 degrees from the truth of God's Word and is perverse, distorted, it is turned the wrong way).
Even though you holy-people live your everyday lives among the beings which make-up such a crooked and perverse generation, you are brought to light (you are presently caused to have God's light shining upon you and in you, and so you are evident, visible shining this light forth) as star-lights in the world (as the lights of stars, as luminaries, illuminators)…. This Greek word translated “star-lights” was used to refer to the luminous bodies in the heavens either emitting the light which was in them, or receiving light from a light-source outside of themselves and then reflecting it forth, shining within the darkness around them, except for that light-source of course.
You must do all-things without murmurings and through-calculations in order that you may be without-blame and unmixed, children of God without-blemish in the midst of a crooked generation, even having been throughly-turned and continuing throughly-turned, among whom you are brought-to-light as star-lights in the world during the time that you are presently and actively holding-onto the word of life (continue having your attention upon, pay attention to the word which-is and consists-of and issues God's life). You must be directing your attention looking on the spoken-account that is emanating life. The words that God spoke enabled you to receive life, holy spirit-life, and now as you hold onto the word of life (the already revealed and written word of God or what is revealed to you via your holy spirit-life) you are brought to light as star-lights in the world.
If these holy-people would walk (behave, conduct themselves) according to what Paul has written here, he continues: it results-in (it is in motion into, with a view to, directed to, for) a boast with me (a subject or theme of speaking justifiably loudly for me) into the day of Christ (the time-period when Christ will come to be present to gather all holy-people together with him and then continue to carry-out what God says regarding everyone and everything) because I did not run into emptiness (I did not actively hasten, hurry or quickly-move into or resulting-in becoming vain or void, empty of contents having no effect) nor did I labor into emptiness (I did not exert wearisome-effort or toil as though physically beating myself into emptiness).
But contrary to heading towards emptiness regarding the carrying-out of my ministry towards you, since it is a fact also that I am presently poured (I am willingly spending myself and allowing myself to be spent as liquid being poured out of its container as a drink offering to God, I am continuing to do all that is required of me) resting or based upon…
…pertaining to your belief (that-which you believe or trust, your faith – this includes your initial believing of what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, thus you became saved in the spirit category receiving the gift of holy spirit, and now your continued believing of the belief in the walk category), I joy and joy together (rejoice in conjunction) with you all, but you also must joy and must joy in conjunction with me regarding the same thing. This is the attitude that the Philippian Christians were to have regarding Paul's situation even though from a worldly or fleshly point of view Paul's life was not going very well at that time!
Again, verses 14-18 say:
.14you must do all-things without murmurings and through-calculations .15in order that you may be without-blame and unmixed, children of God without-blemish (in the) midst of a crooked generation, even having been throughly-turned2, among whom you are brought-to-light as star-lights in (the) world .16holding-onto (the) word of life, into a boast with me into (the) day of Christ because I did not run into emptiness nor did I labor into emptiness .17but since also I am poured on the sacrifice and official-service of your belief I joy and joy-together with you all, .18but the same-thing you also must joy and must joy-together with me.
[Reference: Matthew 4:3 and 4, 10:16; Luke 1:6 and 23; Acts 2:40, 3:5, 6:1, 13:2, and 8-10, 20:30; Romans 14:1, 15:27, 16:19; II Corinthians 7:4; Galatians 2:2; Ephesians 5:1 and 2; Philippians 1:25 and 26, 3:6; Colossians 1:23 and 24; I Thessalonians 3:5 and 13; I Timothy 4:16; II Timothy 4:6; Hebrews 8:1-6; I Peter 2:18; II Peter 3:14; Revelation 21:11.]
Verses 19-24:
.19But I hope in (the) Lord Jesus to quickly send Timothy to you in order that I also may be good-souled having known the-things concerning you .20for I have not-one-person equal-souled he-who genuinely will be anxious-about the-things concerning you, .21for all-people seek-after the-things of themselves not the-things of Jesus Christ, .22but you knew2 the proof of him that as a child with (his) father he served-as-a-slave together with me with-a-view-to the good-message, .23therefore indeed this-person I hope to send as ever I may see from-this the-things concerning me, .24but I was persuaded2 in (the) Lord that also I myself will go quickly;
Paul tells them what he was planning to do and why. He writes: I expect to come to pass at a future time-period within the sphere of action of the Lord Jesus (not my own intellectual decision-making and physical abilities) to speedily or with-swiftness send Timothy to you for the purpose and result that emphatically I also would be good-souled (my soul to be well, have good living and breathing and figuratively referring to character and disposition) after I have personally known the things about you (your circumstances, affairs, the up-to-date and detailed information of what is happening with you).
In truth, I presently have not one equal-souled person (none, no-one who is being equally proportioned, with equality in measure, quantity, quality, amount, etc., with Timothy as regards soul/breath-life, and figuratively referring to character and disposition, whose quality of living life is the same, identical to Timothy in the walk/behavior category) he who genuinely (legitimately, usually spoken of children, genetically) will be anxious about the things concerning you (mentally distracted with care about your affairs and circumstances). In truth, all people seek after the things emphatically pertaining and belonging to themselves, not the things of Jesus Christ (they look for their own interests and goals to come to pass, not the things belonging and pertaining to Jesus Christ, as explained above in verses 5-11).
Paul wrote this letter when he was a prisoner in his own hired house recorded at the end of Acts chapter 28. At the particular time of writing to the Philippians there was not anyone there with him who was equal-souled with Timothy regarding his concern for the Philippian holy-people, and so Paul waited until it was available to send Timothy to them. If there had been another person there with Paul who was equal-souled, then Paul would have immediately sent that person to them instead.
He continues: but you Philippian holy-people knew and you still know (perceive, see) the proof (this word “proof” dokime means: that-which has the quality and character of having already been tried, tested, and has been proven to be true, it is the evidence that proves it as fact and demands the mind to accept its validity) pertaining to Timothy that as a child is with his father he served in the position of a slave (the working/service category) in conjunction with me with a view to, into, directed to the good-message (gospel, evangel).
During the time-period of the writing of the Bible the sons within a family helped their father in whatever the family business was, and they continued to do so even after they got married. The son worked with his father in the family interest and did not normally branch off to "do his own thing"! Timothy followed in the footsteps of Paul as though he were his biological son and he served as a slave into the good-message together with Paul in the family interest, which in this case was God's family interest.
A slave is one who is bound to serve his master. This service as a slave meant that his whole being was at the service of or in service to that one master, not serving anybody or anything else! During the time-period of the writing of the Bible, a master was obligated to take-care of his slave (bond-servant) and the slave was obligated to do all his master would ask of him. It was a mutually-beneficial relationship between the master and his slave. To be a "slave" was quite an honorable and responsible position to hold. However, today in the minds of some people the word "slave" has been changed from God's original design of a working-relationship to what mankind twisted, corrupted and perverted it to mean as a position of demoralization or degradation, etc. But we who are students of God's Word must consider this word "slave" as God considered it at the time of Paul's writing of this letter.
Paul continues: following on from what I have just written indeed this person (Timothy) I presently and actively hope to send to you as ever it may happen that I would see from-this (as soon as I perceive with my eyes and understand the object-of-sight in my mind's thoughts from this point, look away-from what's happening from this moment so as to see) the things concerning me (the things going on around me, with reference to me, the details of how I ought to proceed considering the circumstances – Paul has already written that he will remain alive in chapter 1:25 and 26, but he did not know the details yet), but I was persuaded and am still actively persuaded (convinced) within the sphere of action of the Lord (I have received revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ) that also I myself will go speedily or swiftly to you.
[Reference: Acts 16:1-5; Romans 16:21; I Corinthians 4:17, 16:10; I Timothy 1:2; II Timothy 1:2-5; Hebrews 12:2.]
Verses 25-27:
.25but I led (my mind to regard it) constraining to send towards you Epaphroditus, the brother, and worker-together and soldier-together with me, but your apostle and official-servant of my need, .26since-indeed he used-to-be earnestly-longing-for you all and being-full-of-sadness for-this-reason-that you heard that he was weak, .27for even he was weak near-beside death but God was merciful-towards him, but not only him but also me in order that I may not have sorrow on sorrow,
But I led my mind to regard or view it constraining (I took the initiative or caused it to be in my mind that it was necessary due to constraint, applied-force) to send towards you Epaphroditus, the brother….
Whose brother was Epaphroditus? He was not the natural brother of every person in the church in
But I led my mind to regard it constraining to send towards you Epaphroditus, the brother, and he is a worker-together with me (joint worker, he expends energy in conjunction with me, we work together in the physical realm) and a soldier-together with me (joint soldier, he serves as a soldier with military precision in conjunction with me, we soldier together in the spirit realm, drawing attention to there being two opposing sides; refer to Ephesians 6:10-18) in the performance of doing God's and the Lord Jesus Christ's will, carrying-out their instructions…
…but Epaphroditus is your apostle (he was sent-forth by you on a specific mission or assignment towards me) and your official-servant of my need (the person who was asked by you to perform the office, work, official-duty pertaining to public service pertaining to my necessity, needful-use, what I need for my use to be able to continue in the physical category carrying-out my ministry)…
…since absolutely he was continually earnestly longing (having a real longing for, desiring on-top of what he already had) for you all (every one of you, none of you is omitted) and he was continually being full of sadness (in the state of being sated to capacity with distress, grief, anguish, trouble, etc) on account of this reason that you heard that he was weak (ill, without-strength, sick).
In truth, I emphasize that Epaphroditus was weak near-beside death (alongside, close-by death, he nearly died), but contrary to his death happening, God had mercy on him…. “Mercy" means: to actively not bestow merited-judgment, to withhold punishment from a person who deserves to be punished, thus giving active relief. God showed him active relief from the physical perspective of naturally being deserving of death as a result of his body becoming extremely weak. God healed him and therefore he did not die.
God was merciful not alone towards Epaphroditus, but on the contrary He also gave me active relief for the purpose and result that I would not have sorrow (grief) down on top of the sorrow I already had because of his illness, which would be an excessive amount of grief.
[Reference: Philippians 4:18; Philemon 2; Hebrews 2:14.]
Verses 28-30:
.28therefore with-more-earnest-diligence I sent him in order that, having seen him again, you may joy and I may be less-sorrowful, .29therefore you must accept him towards-yourselves in (the) Lord with all joy, and you must hold the people-of-this-kind in-honor .30because because-of the work of Christ he came-near up-until death having risked (his) soul in order that he may fill-up your lack of official-service towards me.
Following-on logically from what I have just written, with comparatively more earnest diligence (speedy application or performance, assiduity) I sent Epaphroditus for the purpose and result that when you had seen (perceived) him again you would rejoice and emphatically I would be less-sorrowful (comparatively more not-sorrowful, free from any added-grief).
Therefore you must accept him towards yourselves (welcome, subjectively-receive, willingly take him to yourselves) within the Lord in company and association with every joy (rejoicing – again "joy" is written), and you must hold the people of this sort in-honor (have such holy-people within the appropriate estimation of value or price) because it was on account of Christ's work that he drew near or close up to his death due to the fact that he had risked his soul (hazarded, as though he threw or cast his soul life, which is evidenced by breathing, aside from himself, he exposed himself to danger [some Greek texts have the verb: disregarding or deliberately determining aside from his soul-life]) for the purpose and result that he would fill-up (make full as filling up a chasm or container to the brim with something - fill-up) your lack of official-service towards me (the want, deficiency, that-which falls-short or is behind on your part pertaining to the performance of the office, work, official-duty of public service towards me – it was not possible for you all to be physically here with me and so he is the one whom you apostled to fulfill that lack).
[Reference: Luke 7:2, 14:8; Romans 16:2; I Corinthians 16:17; I Peter 2:4 and 6. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (2) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]
