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Finally, my brothers and sisters,[a] rejoice[b] 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 safeguard.

Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh![c] For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God[d] and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh— 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; 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. 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 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,[e] the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ[f] 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.

Pressing toward the Goal

12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal;[g] but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved,[h] I do not consider that I have made it my own;[i] but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly[j] call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. 16 Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.

17 Brothers and sisters,[k] join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 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. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship[l] 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[m] that it may be conformed to the body of his glory,[n] by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

Footnotes

  1. Philippians 3:1 Gk my brothers
  2. Philippians 3:1 Or farewell
  3. Philippians 3:2 Gk the mutilation
  4. Philippians 3:3 Other ancient authorities read worship God in spirit
  5. Philippians 3:9 Or through the faith of Christ
  6. Philippians 3:10 Gk him
  7. Philippians 3:12 Or have already been made perfect
  8. Philippians 3:13 Gk Brothers
  9. Philippians 3:13 Other ancient authorities read my own yet
  10. Philippians 3:14 Gk upward
  11. Philippians 3:17 Gk Brothers
  12. Philippians 3:20 Or commonwealth
  13. Philippians 3:21 Or our humble bodies
  14. Philippians 3:21 Or his glorious body

All for Christ

Finally, my brethren, (A)rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

(B)Beware of dogs, beware of (C)evil workers, (D)beware of the mutilation! For we are (E)the circumcision, (F)who worship [a]God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though (G)I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I (H)more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, (I)of the tribe of Benjamin, (J)a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, (K)a Pharisee; concerning zeal, (L)persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

But (M)what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss (N)for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having (O)my own righteousness, which is from the law, but (P)that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the (Q)power of His resurrection, and (R)the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may (S)attain[b] to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing Toward the Goal

12 Not that I have already (T)attained,[c] or am already (U)perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have [d]apprehended; but one thing I do, (V)forgetting those things which are behind and (W)reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 (X)I press toward the goal for the prize of (Y)the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Therefore let us, as many as are (Z)mature, (AA)have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, (AB)God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already [e]attained, (AC)let us walk (AD)by the same [f]rule, let us be of the same mind.

Our Citizenship in Heaven

17 Brethren, (AE)join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as (AF)you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are (AG)the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 (AH)whose end is destruction, (AI)whose god is their belly, and (AJ)whose glory is in their shame—(AK)who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For (AL)our citizenship is in heaven, (AM)from which we also (AN)eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 (AO)who will transform our lowly body that it may be (AP)conformed to His glorious body, (AQ)according to the working by which He is able even to (AR)subdue all things to Himself.

Footnotes

  1. Philippians 3:3 NU, M in the Spirit of God
  2. Philippians 3:11 Lit. arrive at
  3. Philippians 3:12 obtained it
  4. Philippians 3:13 laid hold of it
  5. Philippians 3:16 arrived
  6. Philippians 3:16 NU omits rule and the rest of v. 16.