The Goal of Life

3 Finally, my brethren, ^(A)rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to 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 ^(F)glory in ^(G)Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, ⁴ although ^(H)I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: ^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, those things I have counted as loss for the sake 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 but 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 [g]in order that I may ^(Z)attain to the resurrection from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already ^(AA)obtained it or have already ^(AB)become perfect, but I press on ^[h]so that I may ^(AC)lay hold of that ^[i]for which also I ^(AD)was laid hold of by ^(AE)Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid 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 Let us therefore, as many as are ^[j](AJ)perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a ^(AK)different attitude, ^(AL)God will reveal that also to you; ¹⁶ however, let us keep ^[k](AM)living by that same standard to which we have attained.

¹⁷ Brethren, ^(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 ^(AQ)weeping, that they are enemies of ^(AR)the cross of Christ, ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their ^[l](AS)appetite, and whose ^(AT)glory is in their shame, who ^(AU)set their minds on earthly things. ²⁰ For ^(AV)our ^[m]citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly ^(AW)wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ who will ^(AX)transform ^[n]the body of our humble state into ^(AY)conformity with ^[o]the ^(AZ)body of His glory, ^(BA)by the exertion of the power that He has even to ^(BB)subject all things to Himself.