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.
In conclusion, my brethren, be joyful in the Lord. For me to give you the same warnings as before is not irksome to me, while so far as you are concerned it is a safe precaution.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Beware of 'the dogs,' the bad workmen, the self-mutilators.
3 For we are the circumcision, who in spirit serve God; and glory in Christ Jesus, not having confidence in the flesh.
For we are the true circumcision--we who render to God a spiritual worship and make our boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in outward ceremonies:
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other thinketh he may have confidence in the flesh, I more,
although I myself might have some excuse for confidence in outward ceremonies. If any one else claims a right to trust in them, far more may I:
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:
circumcised, as I was, on the eighth day, a member of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew sprung from Hebrews; as 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.
as to zeal, a persecutor of the Church; as to the righteousness which comes through Law, blameless.
7 But the things that were gain to me, the same I have counted loss for Christ.
Yet all that was gain to me--for Christ's sake I have reckoned it loss.
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:
Nay, I even reckon all things as pure loss because of the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. And for His sake I have suffered the loss of everything, and reckon it all as mere refuse, in order that I may win Christ and be found in union with Him,
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:
not having a righteousness of my own, derived from the Law, but that which arises from faith in Christ--the righteousness which comes from God through 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,
I long to know Christ and the power which is in His resurrection, and to share in His sufferings and die even as He died;
11 If by any means I may attain to the resurrection which is from the dead.
in the hope that I may attain to the resurrection from among 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.
I do not say that I have already won the race or have already reached perfection. But I am pressing on, striving to lay hold of the prize for which also Christ has laid hold of me.
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,
Brethren, I do not imagine that I have yet laid hold of it. But this one thing I do--forgetting everything which is past and stretching forward to what lies in front of me,
14 I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.
with my eyes fixed on the goal I push on to secure the prize of God's heavenward call 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.
Therefore let all of us who are mature believers cherish these thoughts; and if in any respect you think differently, that also God will make clear to you.
16 Nevertheless whereunto we are come, that we be of the same mind, let us also continue in the same rule.
But whatever be the point that we have already reached, let us persevere in the same course.
17 Be ye followers of me, brethren, and observe them who walk so as you have our model.
Brethren, vie with one another in imitating me, and carefully observe those who follow the example which we have set you.
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;
For there are many whom I have often described to you, and I now even with tears describe them, as being enemies to 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.
Their end is destruction, their bellies are their God, their glory is in their shame, and their minds are devoted to earthly things.
20 But our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ,
We, however, are free citizens of Heaven, and we are waiting with longing expectation for the coming from Heaven of a Saviour, the 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.
who, in the exercise of the power which He has even to subject all things to Himself, will transform this body of our humiliation until it resembles His own glorious body.
