Philippians 3

1 As to the rest, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not wearisome, but to you it is necessary.2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.3 For we are the circumcision, who in spirit serve God; and glory in Christ Jesus, not having confidence in the flesh.4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other thinketh he may have confidence in the flesh, I more,5 Being circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; according to the law, a Pharisee:6 According to zeal, persecuting the church of God; according to the justice that is in the law, conversing without blame.7 But the things that were gain to me, the same I have counted loss for Christ.8 Furthermore I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ:9 And may be found in him, not having my justice, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ Jesus, which is of God, justice in faith:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death,11 If by any means I may attain to the resurrection which is from the dead.12 Not as though I has already attained, or were already perfect; but I follow after, if I may by any means apprehend, wherein I am also apprehended by Christ Jesus.13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: forgetting the things that are behind, and stretching forth myself to those that are before,14 I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, this also God will reveal to you.16 Nevertheless whereunto we are come, that we be of the same mind, let us also continue in the same rule.17 Be ye followers of me, brethren, and observe them who walk so as you have our model.18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping), that they are 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 But our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ,21 Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory, according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue all things unto himself.

Philippians 3

True and False Righteousness

1 Finally, my brothers and sisters,t rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
2 Beware of the dogs,s beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh!t3 For we are the circumcision,t the ones who worship by the Spirit of God,s exult in Christ Jesus, and do not rely on human credentialst4 – though mine too are significant.t If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials,t I have more:5 I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee.s6 In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.7 But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ.8 More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung!t – that I may gain Christ,9 and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulnessts – a righteousness from God that is in factt based on Christ’st faithfulness.t10 My aim is to know him,t to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings,t and to be like him in his death,

11 and so, somehow,t to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Keep Going Forward

12 Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.t13 Brothers and sisters,t I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded:t Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead,14 with this goal in mind,t I strive toward the prize of the upward call of Godt in Christ Jesus.15 Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view.ts If you think otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways.t

16 Nevertheless, let us live up to the standards that we have already attained.t
17 Be imitators of me,t brothers and sisters,t and watch carefully those who are living this way, just as you have us as an example.18 For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.t20 But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 who will transform these humble bodies of ourst into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.