Philippians 3
New American Standard Bible
The Goal of Life
3 Finally, my brothers and sisters, (A)rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for 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 take (F)pride in (G)Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, 4 although (H)I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: 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, these things I have counted as loss because 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 mere 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 if somehow I may (Z)attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already [g](AA)grasped it all or have already (AB)become perfect, but I press on if I may also (AC)take hold of that [h]for which I (AD)was even taken hold of by (AE)Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken 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 Therefore, all who are [i](AJ)mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a (AK)different attitude, (AL)God will reveal that to you as well; 16 however, let’s keep [j](AM)living by that same standard to which we have attained.
17 Brothers and sisters, (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 as I (AQ)weep, that they are the enemies of (AR)the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their [k](AS)appetite, and whose (AT)glory is in their shame, who (AU)have their minds on earthly things. 20 For (AV)our [l]citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly (AW)wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will (AX)transform the body of our lowly condition into (AY)conformity with [m]His (AZ)glorious body, (BA)by the exertion of the power that He has even to (BB)subject all things to Himself.
Footnotes
- Philippians 3:2 Lit mutilation; Gr katatome
- Philippians 3:3 Gr peritome
- Philippians 3:8 Lit because of
- Philippians 3:8 Lit the knowledge of
- Philippians 3:8 Lit because of
- Philippians 3:10 Or participation in
- Philippians 3:12 Or obtained
- Philippians 3:12 Or because also
- Philippians 3:15 Or perfect
- Philippians 3:16 Lit following in line
- Philippians 3:19 Lit belly
- Philippians 3:20 Lit commonwealth
- Philippians 3:21 Lit the body of His glory
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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