Philippians 3
3
1 Concerning other things, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. It is certainly not tiresome for me to write the same things to you, but for you, it is not necessary.
2 Beware of dogs; beware of those who work evil; beware of those who are divisive.
3 For we are the circumcised, we who serve God in the Spirit and who glory in Christ Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh.
4 Nevertheless, I might have confidence also in the flesh, for if anyone else seems to have confidence in the flesh, more so do I.
5 For I was circumcised on the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew among Hebrews. According to the law, I was a Pharisee;
6 according to zeal, I persecuted the Church of God; according to the justice that is in the law, I lived without blame.
7 But the things which had been to my gain, the same have I considered a loss, for the sake of Christ.
8 Yet truly, I consider everything to be a loss, because of the preeminent knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of everything, considering it all to be like dung, so that I may gain Christ,
9 and so that you may be found in him, not having my justice, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ Jesus, the justice within faith, which is of God.
10 So shall I know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his Passion, having been fashioned according to his death,
11 if, by some means, I might attain to the resurrection which is from the dead.
12 It is not as though I have already received this, or were already perfect. But rather I pursue, so that by some means I might attain, that in which I have already been attained by Christ Jesus.
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have already attained this. Instead, I do one thing: forgetting those things that are behind, and extending myself toward those things that are ahead,
14 I pursue the destination, the prize of the heavenly calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore, as many of us as are being perfected, let us agree about this. And if in anything you disagree, God will reveal this to you also.
16 Yet truly, whatever point we reach, let us be of the same mind, and let us remain in the same rule.
17 Be imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who are walking similarly, just as you have seen by our example.
18 For many persons, about whom I have often told you (and now tell you, weeping,) are walking as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 Their end is destruction; their god is their belly; and their glory is in their shame: for they are immersed in earthly things.
20 But our way of life is in heaven. And from heaven, too, we await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform the body of our lowliness, according to the form of the body of his glory, by means of that power by which he is even able to subject all things to himself.
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Philippians 3
3
No confidence in the flesh
1Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh – 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
7But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in#3:9 Or through the faithfulness of Christ – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, 14I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.
Following Paul’s example
15All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
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