Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

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 do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

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 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: 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 be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

16 Nevertheless, whereto 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 them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, 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.

Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.

Breaking with the Past

To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me, and for you it is a source of steadfastness.

Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh![a](A) For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God[b] and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh(B) even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh.

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;(C) as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ.(D) More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ(E) and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law but one that comes through faith in Christ,[c] the righteousness from God based on faith.(F) 10 I want to know Christ[d] and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.(G)

Pressing toward the Goal

12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal,[e] but I press on to lay hold of that for which Christ[f] has laid hold of me.(H) 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have laid hold[g] of it, but one thing I have laid hold of: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,(I) 14 I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly[h] call of God in Christ Jesus.(J) 15 Let those of us, then, who are mature[i] think this way, and if you think differently about anything, this, too, God will reveal to you.(K) 16 Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.(L)

17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.(M) 18 For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears.(N) 19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.(O) 20 But our citizenship[j] is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humiliation[k] that it may be conformed to the body of his glory,[l] by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.(P)

Footnotes

  1. 3.2 Gk the mutilation
  2. 3.3 Other ancient authorities read worship God in spirit
  3. 3.9 Or through the faith of Christ
  4. 3.10 Gk him
  5. 3.12 Or have already been made perfect
  6. 3.12 Other ancient authorities read Christ Jesus
  7. 3.13 Other ancient authorities read yet laid hold
  8. 3.14 Gk upward
  9. 3.15 Or perfect
  10. 3.20 Or commonwealth
  11. 3.21 Or our humble bodies
  12. 3.21 Or his glorious body