Philippians 3
Christian Standard Bible
Knowing Christ
3 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.
2 Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil(B) workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 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— 4 although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 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; 6 regarding zeal,(J) persecuting(K) the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law,(L) blameless.(M)
7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 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) 9 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.
Philippians 3
Lexham English Bible
Warning Against Evil Workers
3 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, but is a safeguard for you. 2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation.[a] 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship[b] by the Spirit[c] of God and boast in Christ Jesus and do not put confidence in the flesh, 4 although I could have confidence even in the flesh.
Righteousness Through Christ
If anyone else thinks to put confidence in the flesh, I can do so more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day[d], from the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born from Hebrews, according to the law a Pharisee, 6 according to zeal persecuting the church, according to the righteousness in the law being blameless. 7 But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ. 8 More than that[e], I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them[f] dung, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and may be found in him, not having my righteousness which is from the law, but which is through faith in Christ,[g] the righteousness from God on the basis of faith,[h] 10 so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11 if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already received this,[i] or have already been made perfect, but I press on if indeed I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ.[j] 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have laid hold of it.[k] But I do one thing, forgetting the things behind and straining toward the things ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Imitate Paul
15 Therefore as many as are perfect, let us hold this opinion[l], and if you think anything differently, God will reveal this also to you. 16 Only to what we have attained, to the same hold on. 17 Become fellow imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who walk in this way, just as you have us as an example. 18 For many live, of whom I spoke about to you many times, but now speak about even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose God is the stomach, and whose glory is in their shame, the ones who think on earthly things. 20 For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our humble body to be conformed to his glorious body, in accordance with the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Footnotes
- Philippians 3:2 This term is a wordplay on the Greek word “circumcision”
- Philippians 3:3 Or “who serve”
- Philippians 3:3 Or “in the Spirit”
- Philippians 3:5 Literally “with respect to circumcision it was on the eighth day”
- Philippians 3:8 Literally “but on the contrary”
- Philippians 3:8 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Philippians 3:9 Or “through Christ’s faithfulness”
- Philippians 3:9 Or “on the basis of his faithfulness”
- Philippians 3:12 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Philippians 3:12 Some manuscripts have “Christ Jesus”
- Philippians 3:13 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Philippians 3:15 Literally “let us think this”
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