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Pressing toward the Goal

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,[a] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:13 Some manuscripts read not yet achieved it.

Pursuing the Goal

12 It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already become perfect. But I keep pursuing it, hoping somehow to embrace it just as I have been embraced by the Messiah[a] Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have embraced it yet.[b] But this one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize[c] of God’s heavenly call in the Messiah[d] Jesus.

15 Therefore, those of us who are mature[e] should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will show you how to think.[f] 16 However, we should live up to what we have achieved so far.

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Footnotes

  1. Philippians 3:12 Or Christ
  2. Philippians 3:13 Other mss. omit yet
  3. Philippians 3:14 Lit. the goal for the prize
  4. Philippians 3:14 Or Christ
  5. Philippians 3:15 Or perfect
  6. Philippians 3:15 Lit. show you this