Knowing Christ

In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice(A) in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.

Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil(B) workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision,(C) the ones who worship by the Spirit(D) of God, boast in Christ Jesus,(E) and do not put confidence in the flesh— although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised the eighth day;(F) of the nation of Israel,(G) of the tribe of Benjamin,(H) a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law,(I) a Pharisee; regarding zeal,(J) persecuting(K) the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law,(L) blameless.(M)

But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value(N) of knowing Christ(O) Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ(P) and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law,(Q) but one that is through faith in Christ[a]—the righteousness from God based on faith.(R) 10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings,(S) being conformed to his death,(T) 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

Reaching Forward to God’s Goal

12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold(U) of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not[b] consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind(V) and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly[c] call in Christ Jesus.(W) 15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal(X) this also to you. 16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. 17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross(Y) of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory(Z) is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things. 20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious(AA) body,(AB) by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.

Footnotes

  1. 3:9 Or through the faithfulness of Christ
  2. 3:13 Other mss read not yet
  3. 3:14 Or upward

No Confidence in the Flesh

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,(A) and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs,(B) those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision,(C) we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,(D) and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence.(E)

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised(F) on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,(G) of the tribe of Benjamin,(H) a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;(I) as for zeal,(J) persecuting the church;(K) as for righteousness based on the law,(L) faultless.

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss(M) for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing(N) Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ(O) and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,(P) but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness(Q) that comes from God on the basis of faith.(R) 10 I want to know(S) Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,(T) becoming like him in his death,(U) 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection(V) from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,(W) but I press on to take hold(X) of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.(Y) 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind(Z) and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on(AA) toward the goal to win the prize(AB) for which God has called(AC) me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Paul’s Example

15 All of us, then, who are mature(AD) should take such a view of things.(AE) And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.(AF) 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

17 Join together in following my example,(AG) brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.(AH) 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears,(AI) many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.(AJ) 19 Their destiny(AK) is destruction, their god is their stomach,(AL) and their glory is in their shame.(AM) Their mind is set on earthly things.(AN) 20 But our citizenship(AO) is in heaven.(AP) And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,(AQ) 21 who, by the power(AR) that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies(AS) so that they will be like his glorious body.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Philippians 3:9 Or through the faithfulness of