Philippians 3:3-8
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
3 For we are the circumcision,[a] we who worship through the Spirit of God, who boast in Christ Jesus and do not put our confidence in flesh,(A) 4 although I myself have grounds for confidence even in the flesh.(B)
Paul’s Autobiography. If anyone else thinks he can be confident in flesh, all the more can I. 5 Circumcised on the eighth day,[b] of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee,(C) 6 in zeal I persecuted the church, in righteousness based on the law I was blameless.(D)
Righteousness from God. 7 [But] whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss[c] because of Christ.(E) 8 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
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 3:3 We are the circumcision: the true people of God, seed and offspring of Abraham (Gal 3:7, 29; 6:15). Spirit of God: some manuscripts read “worship God by the Spirit.”
- 3:5 Circumcised on the eighth day: as the law required (Gn 17:12; Lv 12:3).
- 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).
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