Philippians 3
New International Version - UK
No confidence in the flesh
3 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh – 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 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 and straining towards what is ahead, 14 I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.
Following Paul’s example
15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Footnotes
- Philippians 3:9 Or through the faithfulness of
Philippians 3
New American Standard Bible
The Goal of Life
3 Finally, my brothers and sisters, (A)rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.
2 Beware of the (B)dogs, beware of the (C)evil workers, beware of the [a]false circumcision; 3 for (D)we are the true [b]circumcision, who (E)worship in the Spirit of God and take (F)pride in (G)Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, 4 although (H)I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: 5 (I)circumcised the eighth day, of the (J)nation of Israel, of the (K)tribe of Benjamin, a (L)Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, (M)a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, (N)a persecutor of the church; as to the (O)righteousness which is in the Law, found (P)blameless.
7 But (Q)whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss [c]in view of the surpassing value of [d](R)knowing (S)Christ Jesus my Lord, [e]for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having (T)a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, (U)the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may (V)know Him and (W)the power of His resurrection and [f](X)the fellowship of His sufferings, being (Y)conformed to His death; 11 if somehow I may (Z)attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already [g](AA)grasped it all or have already (AB)become perfect, but I press on if I may also (AC)take hold of that [h]for which I (AD)was even taken hold of by (AE)Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: (AF)forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I (AG)press on toward the goal for the prize of the (AH)upward call of God in (AI)Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore, all who are [i](AJ)mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a (AK)different attitude, (AL)God will reveal that to you as well; 16 however, let’s keep [j](AM)living by that same standard to which we have attained.
17 Brothers and sisters, (AN)join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the (AO)pattern you have in us. 18 For (AP)many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I (AQ)weep, that they are the enemies of (AR)the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their [k](AS)appetite, and whose (AT)glory is in their shame, who (AU)have their minds on earthly things. 20 For (AV)our [l]citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly (AW)wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will (AX)transform the body of our lowly condition into (AY)conformity with [m]His (AZ)glorious body, (BA)by the exertion of the power that He has even to (BB)subject all things to Himself.
Footnotes
- Philippians 3:2 Lit mutilation; Gr katatome
- Philippians 3:3 Gr peritome
- Philippians 3:8 Lit because of
- Philippians 3:8 Lit the knowledge of
- Philippians 3:8 Lit because of
- Philippians 3:10 Or participation in
- Philippians 3:12 Or obtained
- Philippians 3:12 Or because also
- Philippians 3:15 Or perfect
- Philippians 3:16 Lit following in line
- Philippians 3:19 Lit belly
- Philippians 3:20 Lit commonwealth
- Philippians 3:21 Lit the body of His glory
Philippians 3
New Century Version
The Importance of Christ
3 My brothers and sisters, be full of joy in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it will help you to be more ready. 2 Watch out for those who do evil, who are like dogs, who demand to cut[a] the body. 3 We are the ones who are truly circumcised. We worship God through his Spirit, and our pride is in Christ Jesus. We do not put trust in ourselves or anything we can do, 4 although I might be able to put trust in myself. If anyone thinks he has a reason to trust in himself, he should know that I have greater reason for trusting in myself. 5 I was circumcised eight days after my birth. I am from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a Hebrew, and my parents were Hebrews. I had a strict view of the law, which is why I became a Pharisee. 6 I was so enthusiastic I tried to hurt the church. No one could find fault with the way I obeyed the law of Moses. 7 Those things were important to me, but now I think they are worth nothing because of Christ. 8 Not only those things, but I think that all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him, I have lost all those things, and now I know they are worthless trash. This allows me to have Christ 9 and to belong to him. Now I am right with God, not because I followed the law, but because I believed in Christ. God uses my faith to make me right with him. 10 I want to know Christ and the power that raised him from the dead. I want to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death. 11 Then I have hope that I myself will be raised from the dead.
Continuing Toward Our Goal
12 I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal, but I continue trying to reach it and to make it mine. Christ wants me to do that, which is the reason he made me his. 13 Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.
15 All of us who are spiritually mature should think this way, too. And if there are things you do not agree with, God will make them clear to you. 16 But we should continue following the truth we already have.
17 Brothers and sisters, all of you should try to follow my example and to copy those who live the way we showed you. 18 Many people live like enemies of the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them, and it makes me cry to tell you about them now. 19 In the end, they will be destroyed. They do whatever their bodies want, they are proud of their shameful acts, and they think only about earthly things. 20 But our homeland is in heaven, and we are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. 21 By his power to rule all things, he will change our humble bodies and make them like his own glorious body.
Footnotes
- 3:2 cut The word in Greek is like the word “circumcise,” but it means “to cut completely off.”
Philippians 3
New International Reader's Version
Do Not Trust in Who You Are or What You Can Do
3 Further, my brothers and sisters, be joyful because you belong to the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write about some important matters to you again. If you know about them, you will have a safe path to follow. 2 Watch out for those dogs. They are people who do evil things. When they circumcise, it is nothing more than a useless cutting of the body. 3 But we have been truly circumcised. We serve God by the power of his Spirit. We boast about what Christ Jesus has done. We don’t put our trust in who we are or what we can do. 4 I have many reasons to trust in who I am and what I have done. Someone else may think they have reasons to trust in these things. But I have even more.
5 I was circumcised on the eighth day. I am part of the people of Israel. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. I am a pure Hebrew. As far as the law is concerned, I am a Pharisee. 6 As far as being committed is concerned, I opposed and attacked the church. As far as keeping the law is concerned, I kept it perfectly.
7 I thought things like that were really something great. But now I consider them to be nothing because of Christ. 8 Even more, I consider everything to be nothing compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. To know him is worth much more than anything else. Because of him I have lost everything. But I consider all of it to be garbage so I can know Christ better. 9 I want to be joined to him. Being right with God does not come from my obeying the law. It comes because I believe in Christ. It comes from God because of faith. 10 I want to know Christ better. Yes, I want to know the power that raised him from the dead. I want to join him in his sufferings. I want to become like him by sharing in his death. 11 Then by God’s grace I will rise from the dead.
12 I have not yet received all these things. I have not yet reached my goal. Christ Jesus took hold of me so that I could reach that goal. So I keep pushing myself forward to reach it. 13 Brothers and sisters, I don’t consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me. 14 I push myself forward toward the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself.
Following Paul’s Example
15 So all of us who are grown up in the faith should see things this way. Maybe you think differently about something. But God will make it clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already reached.
17 Brothers and sisters, join together in following my example. You have us as a model. So pay close attention to those who live as we do. 18 I have told you these things many times before. Now I tell you again with tears in my eyes. Many people live like enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 The only thing they have coming to them is death. Their stomach is their god. They brag about what they should be ashamed of. They think only about earthly things. 20 But we are citizens of heaven. And we can hardly wait for a Savior from there. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He has the power to bring everything under his control. By his power he will change our earthly bodies. They will become like his glorious body.
Philippians 3
21st Century King James Version
3 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you indeed is not grievous to me, but it is a safeguard for you.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the Concision.
3 For we are the Circumcision who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh—
4 though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath grounds to trust in the flesh, I have more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; according to the law, a Pharisee;
6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; as to the righteousness before the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted as loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but dung, that I may win Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith,
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death,
11 that if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 It is not as though I had already attained it, nor were already perfect; but I follow after, that I may apprehend that for which Christ Jesus also apprehended me.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended it, but this one thing I do: forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as would be perfect, be thus minded; and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16 Nevertheless, however much we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark those who so walk, as ye have us for an example.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often and now tell you even with weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 Their end is destruction, their God is their belly, and their glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20 For our abiding is in Heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.
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