Philippians 3
Contemporary English Version
Being Acceptable to God
3 Finally, my dear friends, be glad that you belong to the Lord. It doesn't bother me to write the same things to you that I have written before. In fact, it is for your own good.
2 Watch out for those people who behave like dogs! They are evil and want to do more than just circumcise you. 3 But we are the ones who are truly circumcised, because we worship by the power of God's Spirit[a] and take pride in Christ Jesus. We don't brag about what we have done, 4 although I could. Others may brag about themselves, but I have more reason to brag than anyone else. 5 (A) I was circumcised when I was eight days old,[b] and I am from the nation of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a true Hebrew. As a Pharisee, I strictly obeyed the Law of Moses. 6 (B) And I was so eager I even made trouble for the church. I did everything the Law demands in order to please God.
7 But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. 8 Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ 9 and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. 10 All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, 11 so that somehow I also may be raised to life.
Running toward the Goal
12 I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. 13 My friends, I don't feel I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. 14 I run toward the goal, so I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. 15 All of us who are mature should think in this same way. And if any of you think differently, God will make it clear to you. 16 But we must keep going in the direction that we are now headed.
17 (C) My friends, I want you to follow my example and learn from others who closely follow the example we set for you. 18 I often warned you that many people are living as enemies of the cross of Christ. And now with tears in my eyes, I warn you again 19 that they are headed for hell! They worship their stomachs and brag about the disgusting things they do. All they can think about are the things of this world.
20 But we are citizens of heaven and are eagerly waiting for our Savior to come from there. Our Lord Jesus Christ 21 (D) has power over everything, and he will make these poor bodies of ours like his own glorious body.
Philippians 3
Amplified Bible
The Goal of Life
3 Finally, my [a]fellow believers, continue to rejoice and delight in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.
2 Look out for the [b]dogs [the Judaizers, the legalists], look out for the troublemakers, look out for the [c]false circumcision [those who claim circumcision is necessary for salvation]; 3 for we [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, set apart for His purpose and] are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory and take pride and exult in Christ Jesus and place no confidence [in what we have or who we are] in the flesh— 4 though I myself might have [some grounds for] confidence in the flesh [if I were pursuing salvation by works]. If anyone else thinks that he has reason to be confident in the flesh [that is, in his own efforts to achieve salvation], I have far more: 5 circumcised when I was eight days old, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews [an exemplary Hebrew]; as to the [observance of the] Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to my zeal [for Jewish tradition], a persecutor of the church; and as to righteousness [supposed right living] which [my fellow Jews believe] is in the Law, I proved myself blameless.
7 But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then], these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and the purpose which He has given my life]. 8 But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did]; 11 [d]so that I may attain to the resurrection [that will raise me] from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on [e]so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.(A) 13 [f]Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature [pursuing spiritual perfection] should have this attitude. And if in any respect you have a different attitude, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us stay true to what we have already attained.
17 Brothers and sisters, together follow my example and observe those who live by the pattern we gave you. 18 For there are many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, who live as enemies of the cross of Christ [rejecting and opposing His way of salvation], 19 whose fate is destruction, whose god is their belly [their worldly appetite, their sensuality, their vanity], and whose glory is in their shame—who focus their mind on earthly and temporal things. 20 But [we are different, because] our citizenship is in heaven. And from there we eagerly await [the coming of] the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who, by exerting that power which enables Him even to subject everything to Himself, will [not only] transform [but completely refashion] our earthly bodies so that they will be like His glorious resurrected body.
Footnotes
- Philippians 3:1 Lit brethren.
- Philippians 3:2 Jews often used “dogs” as a derogatory term to refer to Gentiles, so Paul’s reference to his Jewish opponents in this verse is ironic. Most dogs were untamed scavengers and considered disgusting because they ate anything.
- Philippians 3:2 Because circumcision was not necessary for salvation, the circumcision demanded by the Judaizers was nothing more than mutilation.
- Philippians 3:11 Lit if somehow.
- Philippians 3:12 Lit even if I may. Paul knew that he could not really reach perfection in this life, but his goal was to “press on” as if it were attainable.
- Philippians 3:13 Lit Brethren.
Philippians 3
Expanded Bible
The Importance of Christ
3 [Furthermore, or Finally,] My brothers and sisters, ·be full of joy [rejoice] 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 [L is a safeguard/protection for you]. 2 ·Watch out for [Beware] those who do evil, ·who are like dogs [L beware the dogs; C a derogatory reference to Paul’s opponents], ·who demand to cut the body [L beware the mutilation; C a mocking reference to those who demand circumcision of Gentile believers]. 3 [L For] We are the ·ones who are truly circumcised [L (true) circumcision]. We ·worship [serve] God ·through [or in] his Spirit, and ·our pride is [we boast/glory] in Christ Jesus. We do not put ·trust [reliance; confidence] in ·ourselves or anything we can do [human ability/effort; T the flesh], 4 although I might be able to put ·trust [reliance; confidence] in ·myself [human ability/effort; T the flesh]. If anyone thinks he has a reason to ·trust [rely; have confidence] in ·himself [human ability/effort; T the flesh], he should know that I have greater reason. 5 I was circumcised eight days after my birth [Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3]. I am from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a ·Hebrew, and my parents were Hebrews [or true Hebrew; Hebrew through and through; L Hebrew of Hebrews]. With regard to the ·law of Moses [L law], I was a Pharisee [C Pharisees strictly followed the OT law and expanded on it with many traditions]. 6 ·I was so enthusiastic [L With regard to (religious) zeal,] I persecuted the church. With regard to ·obedience to the law of Moses [L righteousness based on the law] I was ·faultless [blameless]. 7 Those things were ·important [valuable; or assets] to me, but now I think they are ·worth nothing [or liabilities; L a loss] because of Christ. 8 Not only those things, but I think that all things are ·worth nothing [or liabilities; L a loss] ·compared with [or because of] the ·greatness [superior/supreme value] of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him, I have lost all those things, and now I ·know they are [consider them] ·worthless trash [garbage; refuse; excrement]. ·This allows me to have [L …so that I may gain] Christ 9 and to ·belong to [be united with; L be found in] him. ·Now I am right with God, not because I followed the law [L …not having my own righteousness from the law], but because ·I believed in Christ [of faith in Christ; or of the faithfulness of Christ]. This is the ·right relationship with [or righteousness of/from] God that comes through ·faith [or the faithfulness (of Christ)]. 10 I want to know Christ and the power ·that raised him from the dead [L of his resurrection]. I want to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death. 11 ·Then I have hope that [L …if somehow] I myself will ·be raised [reach/attain to the resurrection] from the dead.
Continuing Toward Our Goal
12 ·I do not mean [L Not] that I have already ·achieved [obtained; taken hold of] it or have already ·been perfected [become mature; or reached the goal]. But I keep ·trying [pressing forward; striving; pursuing] to ·take hold of that for which [or make it my own because] Christ ·took hold of me [or made me his own]. 13 Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not ·yet reached that goal [taken hold of it], but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the ·past [L things that are behind] and ·straining toward [stretching/reaching forward to] what is ahead, 14 I keep ·trying to reach [pursuing; chasing] the goal and get the prize for which God called me ·to the life above [heavenward; L upward] ·through [or in] Christ Jesus.
15 All of us who are ·spiritually mature [perfect; complete] should think this way, too. And if there are things you ·do not agree with [L think differently about], God will ·make them clear [or reveal this] to you. 16 But we should ·continue following the truth [or live up to the standard] we already have.
17 Brothers and sisters, ·all of you should try to follow my example [L become imitators of me] and ·to copy [L watch closely; pay attention to] those who ·live [walk] the way we ·showed [modeled it for] you. 18 [L For] Many people ·live [walk] like enemies of the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them, and ·it makes me cry to [L with tears I] tell you about them now. 19 ·In the end, they will be destroyed [Their end/destiny is destruction]. ·They do whatever their bodies want [L Their god is their stomach/belly], ·they are proud of their shameful acts [L their glory is in their shame], and they think only about earthly things. 20 But our ·homeland [or citizenship] is in heaven, and we are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. 21 By his power to ·rule [L subject to himself] all things, he will ·change [transform; transfigure] our humble bodies and make them like his own glorious body.
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