1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan –
2Â The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
3Â You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
    you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
6Â For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7Â Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and for ever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.
1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2Â then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Â Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4Â not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5Â In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6Â who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7Â rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8Â And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death –
        even death on a cross!
9Â Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10Â that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11Â and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.