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although I myself have grounds for confidence even in the flesh.(A)

Paul’s Autobiography. If anyone else thinks he can be confident in flesh, all the more can I. Circumcised on the eighth day,[a] of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee,(B) in zeal I persecuted the church, in righteousness based on the law I was blameless.(C)

Righteousness from God. [But] whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss[b] because of Christ.(D) More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ,(E) the righteousness from God, depending on faith 10 to know him and the power of his resurrection and [the] sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death,(F) 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.(G)

Forward in Christ.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. 3:5 Circumcised on the eighth day: as the law required (Gn 17:12; Lv 12:3).
  2. 3:7 Loss: his knowledge of Christ led Paul to reassess the ways of truly pleasing and serving God. His reevaluation indicates the profound and lasting effect of his experience of the meaning of Christ on the way to Damascus some twenty years before (Gal 1:15–16; Acts 9:1–22).
  3. 3:12–16 To be taken possession of by Christ does not mean that one has already arrived at perfect spiritual maturity. Paul and the Philippians instead press on, trusting in God.