Philippians 3
1 To sum up: my dear friends, delight in the Lord! It's not a burden for me to repeat these things to you—it's to keep you safe!
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in Sovereign. For me to write the same things to you is not troublesome and for you it is the safe thing.
2 Watch out for the wolves, those who do evil, those who insist on physical circumcision—
Watch out for the ‘dogs’, watch out for the bad workers, watch out for the mutilation!
3 for it's we who are truly circumcised, worshiping by the Spirit of God, placing our assurance in Christ Jesus. We have no confidence in human abilities—
For it is we who are the circumcision, the ones who worship by God's Spirit and glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in flesh
4 for if there was a way to rely on human nature then I myself could have that confidence! If anyone thinks they have confidence in such human things, then I outdo them:
(though I myself actually have basis for such confidence). If anyone else thinks he has basis for confidence in flesh, I even more:
5 I was circumcised on the eighth day, I'm an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, a true Hebrew. Regarding legal observance I'm a Pharisee;
circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; with respect to the Law, a Pharisee;
6 as for religious dedication I was a persecutor of the church; while in regard to doing right according to the law I was blameless!
with respect to zeal, persecuting the Church; with respect to the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.
7 But in whatever way such things gained me anything, I count them as a loss for Christ.
But such things as were gain to me, these I have considered loss for the sake of the Christ.
8 Truly, I count everything as loss in exchange for the incredible benefit I've gained through knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I've thrown away all these things for him, and consider them trash, so that I might gain Christ.
Yes indeed, in fact I actually consider everything to be a loss for the sake of the excelling thing, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord—for His sake I have already lost everything (and consider it as trash), so that I may gain Christ
9 I want to be found in him, not being right because of what I've done, or what the law requires, but made right through confidence in Christ, set right by God through trusting in him.
and be found in Him, not having as my righteousness that of the Law but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness of God based on that faith;
10 I want to really know him, and the power of his resurrection—to take part in his suffering and become like him in his death,
so that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death,
11 so that somehow I might be part of the resurrection from the dead!
and so, somehow, that I may arrive into the resurrection from among the dead
12 Not that I've already got it all, or that I'm already perfect—but I run so that I might win what was won for me by Christ Jesus.
—not that I have already obtained it or have already been perfected; but I press on to actually claim that for which Christ Jesus claimed me.
13 My friends, I don't consider that I've already won, but this is my one objective: disregarding what is behind me, I strain forward to what is in front of me.
Brothers, I do not consider that I have already claimed it, but this: forgetting the things behind and straining toward those ahead,
14 I run towards the finish line to win the prize of God's invitation to heaven through Christ Jesus.
I press on toward the goal for the prize, the upward call from God because of Christ Jesus.
15 Those of us who are spiritually mature should think like this, and if you think anything different, then God will reveal this to you.
So then, those of us who are mature should have this mentality, but if on some point you think differently, God will reveal that to you as well.
16 We just need to make sure that we follow what we already have understood.
Only, in what we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
17 My friends, copy my example as others do and take note of the way to behave since you have us as a model.
Brothers, join together in imitating me, and having us as a pattern take note of those who walk in the same way.
18 The way some people live makes them enemies of the cross of Christ—as I've often told you before and repeat again though it pains me so much I want to weep.
Because many are walking as enemies of the cross of Christ—of whom I told you often, and now tell you even with tears—
19 They will end up being completely lost, these people whose “god” is their physical desires and who are proud of what they should be ashamed of, thinking only about the things of this world.
whose end is ruin, whose god is their stomach, and whose glory is in their shame; their mind is only on earthly things.
20 But our homeland is heaven, and we're waiting for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from there too.
But our citizenship is in Heaven, and it is from there that we eagerly await our Deliverer, Sovereign Jesus Christ;
21 He will re-create our defective human bodies so that they will be made like his glorious body using the power by which he brings everything under his control.
who will transform the body of our humiliation so that it will be conformed to the body of His glory, according to the working by which He is indeed able to subject all things to Himself.
