Philippenses 3

1 de cetero fratres mei gaudete in Domino eadem vobis scribere mihi quidem non pigrum vobis autem necessarium

[Now there are] other things [that I want to write about]. My fellow believers, continue to rejoice because [you belong to] the Lord. [Though] I will [now] write to you about those same matters [that I mentioned to you before, this is] not tiresome for me, and it will protect you [from those who would harm you spiritually].

2 videte canes videte malos operarios videte concisionem

Beware of those [people who are dangerous] [MET] [like wild] dogs. They are [dangerous] evildoers [DOU]. Beware of them [since they are like people who] cut [other people’s] bodies [MET]. [They will harm you spiritually by insisting that you must let someone circumcise you in order for you to become God’s people] [MTY, MET].

3 nos enim sumus circumcisio qui spiritu Deo servimus et gloriamur in Christo Iesu et non in carne fiduciam habentes

[Those people think that they are God’s people because someone has circumcised them]. But we, [not they], are [truly God’s people] [MET], [whether or not someone has] circumcised [us]. God’s Spirit [enables us to] [MTY] worship [God]; we praise Christ Jesus [because he has enabled us to become the people of God]. We do not believe [that God will consider/make us his people as a result of what someone has done to our] bodies [MTY, SYN].

4 quamquam ego habeam confidentiam et in carne si quis alius videtur confidere in carne ego magis

[We do not trust in those rituals to make us acceptable to God], although I could very well do that [if it would be useful for me]. Philippians 3:4b-6 [In fact], [if I could benefit from it for my salvation], I could rely upon what I have done and who I am [MTY, SYN] more than anyone else could! I will tell you why.

5 circumcisus octava die ex genere Israhel de tribu Beniamin Hebraeus ex Hebraeis secundum legem Pharisaeus

I [was circumcised] {[Someone] circumcised me} when I was one week old. I am from the people of Israel. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. I am completely Hebrew in every way. [While I was] a member of the Pharisee [sect], I [strictly obeyed] the laws [that God gave Moses].

6 secundum aemulationem persequens ecclesiam Dei secundum iustitiam quae in lege est conversatus sine querella

I was [so] zealous [to make people obey those laws that] I caused the people who believe in Christ to suffer [because I thought they were trying to abolish those laws. Indeed], as far as my obeying those laws is concerned, no [one could] have accused [me by] saying that I had disobeyed any of those laws.

7 sed quae mihi fuerunt lucra haec arbitratus sum propter Christum detrimenta

Nevertheless, all such things as those, which I used to [consider to] be useful to me, those [very] things I now consider worthless, because I [want to know] Christ (OR, in order that I [may know] Christ).

8 verumtamen existimo omnia detrimentum esse propter eminentem scientiam Iesu Christi Domini mei propter quem omnia detrimentum feci et arbitror ut stercora ut Christum lucri faciam

More than that, I consider all things to be worthless, compared to how great it is to know Christ Jesus my Lord. Because I [want to know] him [better] (OR, In order that I [may know] him [better]), I have rejected all things as worthless. I consider them [as useless as] [MET] rubbish, in order that I may have [a close relationship with] Christ [MET],

9 et inveniar in illo non habens meam iustitiam quae ex lege est sed illam quae ex fide est Christi quae ex Deo est iustitia in fide

and in order that I may completely belong to him. It was not as a result of [my obeying] the laws [he gave Moses] that God erased the record of my sins. Instead, it is because I have trusted in Christ [that God] has declared that I am no longer guilty for my sins, and he enables me to act righteously. [It is] God [himself who] has erased the record of my sins, and he enables me to act righteously, [only] because I have trusted [in Christ].

10 ad agnoscendum illum et virtutem resurrectionis eius et societatem passionum illius configuratus morti eius

I [want] to know Christ [better and better]. Particularly, I [want] to continually experience [his working] powerfully in my life, [just like God worked powerfully when he] caused Christ to become alive after he died. I [also want to be continually willing] to suffer [in order that I may obey God], just like Christ suffered [in order that he might obey God. I also want] to be completely willing to die for [Christ], even as he died for me,

11 si quo modo occurram ad resurrectionem quae est ex mortuis

[because I expect that, as a result of God’s goodness], he will cause me to live again after I have died.

12 non quod iam acceperim aut iam perfectus sim sequor autem si conprehendam in quo et conprehensus sum a Christo Iesu

I do not claim that I have already become completely like Christ Jesus; that is, I have not already become all that God intends me to be [DOU]. But I earnestly try to become [more and more like Christ], because he chose me [in order that I might become like him].

13 fratres ego me non arbitror conprehendisse unum autem quae quidem retro sunt obliviscens ad ea vero quae sunt in priora extendens me

My fellow believers, I certainly do not consider that I have already become completely like Christ. But I [am like a runner. A runner does not look backward] [MET]. Instead, he leans/stretches forward as he runs straight toward the goal [in order that he might win the race and get the prize. Similarly], I do not think about what I have already done.

14 ad destinatum persequor ad bravium supernae vocationis Dei in Christo Iesu

Instead, I concentrate only on [continuing to become more and more like Christ right up to the end of my life] [MET]. As a result, because of my relationship with Christ Jesus, God will call/summon me to receive a reward from him [in heaven].

15 quicumque ergo perfecti hoc sentiamus et si quid aliter sapitis et hoc vobis Deus revelabit

So, all of us who are [spiritually] mature should think this [same way]. If any [of you] do not think this same way regarding what I [have written here], God will reveal that to you.

16 verumtamen ad quod pervenimus ut idem sapiamus et in eadem permaneamus regula

What is important is that we must conduct our lives according to what [God has already revealed to] us.

17 imitatores mei estote fratres et observate eos qui ita ambulant sicut habetis formam nos

My fellow believers, [all of] you should follow my example, and observe those people who act as I do, [in order that you may imitate them also].

18 multi enim ambulant quos saepe dicebam vobis nunc autem et flens dico inimicos crucis Christi

[Keep in mind that] there are many people [who say that they believe in Christ, but] who act [in such a way that shows] that they are opposed to [the teaching about] Christ [dying on] the cross [MTY]. I have told you about those people many times [before], and now I am sad, even crying, as I tell you [about them again].

19 quorum finis interitus quorum deus venter et gloria in confusione ipsorum qui terrena sapiunt

[God] will severely punish them. The things their bodies desire [MTY] have become [like] gods to them [MET]. They are proud of the things they should be ashamed of. They think only about what unbelievers [MTY] think about.

20 nostra autem conversatio in caelis est unde etiam salvatorem expectamus Dominum Iesum Christum

[But remember] that we are citizens of heaven. And we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, [to return] from there.

21 qui reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae configuratum corpori claritatis suae secundum operationem qua possit etiam subicere sibi omnia

By the power that enables him to put everything under his own control, he will change our weak bodies to become like his glorious body.