Philippians 3
Lexham English Bible
Warning Against Evil Workers
3 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, but is a safeguard for you. 2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation.[a] 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship[b] by the Spirit[c] of God and boast in Christ Jesus and do not put confidence in the flesh, 4 although I could have confidence even in the flesh.
Righteousness Through Christ
If anyone else thinks to put confidence in the flesh, I can do so more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day[d], from the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born from Hebrews, according to the law a Pharisee, 6 according to zeal persecuting the church, according to the righteousness in the law being blameless. 7 But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ. 8 More than that[e], I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them[f] dung, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and may be found in him, not having my righteousness which is from the law, but which is through faith in Christ,[g] the righteousness from God on the basis of faith,[h] 10 so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11 if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already received this,[i] or have already been made perfect, but I press on if indeed I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ.[j] 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have laid hold of it.[k] But I do one thing, forgetting the things behind and straining toward the things ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Imitate Paul
15 Therefore as many as are perfect, let us hold this opinion[l], and if you think anything differently, God will reveal this also to you. 16 Only to what we have attained, to the same hold on. 17 Become fellow imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who walk in this way, just as you have us as an example. 18 For many live, of whom I spoke about to you many times, but now speak about even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose God is the stomach, and whose glory is in their shame, the ones who think on earthly things. 20 For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our humble body to be conformed to his glorious body, in accordance with the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Footnotes
- Philippians 3:2 This term is a wordplay on the Greek word “circumcision”
- Philippians 3:3 Or “who serve”
- Philippians 3:3 Or “in the Spirit”
- Philippians 3:5 Literally “with respect to circumcision it was on the eighth day”
- Philippians 3:8 Literally “but on the contrary”
- Philippians 3:8 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Philippians 3:9 Or “through Christ’s faithfulness”
- Philippians 3:9 Or “on the basis of his faithfulness”
- Philippians 3:12 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Philippians 3:12 Some manuscripts have “Christ Jesus”
- Philippians 3:13 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Philippians 3:15 Literally “let us think this”
Philippians 3
New Living Translation
The Priceless Value of Knowing Christ
3 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters,[a] rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.
2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God[b] are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!
5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.[c] For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
Pressing toward the Goal
12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,[d] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.
17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
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