Philippians 3

The Importance of Christ

1 My brothers and sisters, be full of joy in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it will help you to be more ready.2 Watch out for those who do evil, who are like dogs, who demand to cut 3 We are the ones who are truly circumcised. We worship God through his Spirit, and our pride is in Christ Jesus. We do not put trust in ourselves or anything we can do,4 although I might be able to put trust in myself. If anyone thinks he has a reason to trust in himself, he should know that I have greater reason for trusting in myself.5 I was circumcised eight days after my birth. I am from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a Hebrew, and my parents were Hebrews. I had a strict view of the law, which is why I became a Pharisee.6 I was so enthusiastic I tried to hurt the church. No one could find fault with the way I obeyed the law of Moses.7 Those things were important to me, but now I think they are worth nothing because of Christ.8 Not only those things, but I think that all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him, I have lost all those things, and now I know they are worthless trash. This allows me to have Christ9 and to belong to him. Now I am right with God, not because I followed the law, but because I believed in Christ. God uses my faith to make me right with him.10 I want to know Christ and the power that raised him from the dead. I want to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death.

11 Then I have hope that I myself will be raised from the dead.

Continuing Toward Our Goal

12 I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal, but I continue trying to reach it and to make it mine. Christ wants me to do that, which is the reason he made me his.13 Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead,

14 I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.
15 All of us who are spiritually mature should think this way, too. And if there are things you do not agree with, God will make them clear to you.

16 But we should continue following the truth we already have.
17 Brothers and sisters, all of you should try to follow my example and to copy those who live the way we showed you.18 Many people live like enemies of the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them, and it makes me cry to tell you about them now.19 In the end, they will be destroyed. They do whatever their bodies want, they are proud of their shameful acts, and they think only about earthly things.20 But our homeland is in heaven, and we are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven.21 By his power to rule all things, he will change our humble bodies and make them like his own glorious body.

Philippians 3

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not irksome, but for you it is safe.2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision:3 for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh:4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more:5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;6 as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.7 Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ.8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ,9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death;11 if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead.12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus.13 Brethren, I could not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you:16 only, whereunto we have attained, by that same rule let us walk.17 Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample.18 For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:19 whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.20 For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:21 who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself.