The Christian Standard Bible aims to draw readers into a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God. By translating Scripture into the clearest possible modern English, the CSB allows readers to experience God’s Word at its fullest. Developed by 100 scholars from 17 denominations, the Christian Standard Bible faithfully and accurately captures the Bible’s original meaning without compromising readability. The CSB was created using Optimal Equivalence, a translation philosophy that balances linguistic precision to the original languages and readability in contemporary English. In the many places throughout Scripture where a word-for- word rendering is clearly understandable, a literal translation is used. When a word- for-word rendering might obscure the meaning for a modern audience, a more dynamic translation is used. This process assures that both the words and thoughts contained in the original text are conveyed as accurately as possible for today’s readers. The CSB provides a highly accurate text for sermon preparation and serious study, translated from the biblical languages by scholars who love God’s Word. Yet it doesn’t compromise readability and clarity for those who may be less familiar with the traditional (and sometimes difficult) vocabulary retained in some translations. Research shows the CSB is both highly literal to the original languages and highly readable, achieving an optimal balance of the two. Pastors and laypeople can read and share the Christian Standard Bible with confidence, knowing truth of God’s Word will be communicated effectively. For a more information, visit CSBible.com

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 <div class="label">3</div><div class="s1">Knowing Christ</div><div class="m"> 1In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice&#160; # 3:1 Rm 12:12; 2Co 6:10; Php 1:18 in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.</div><div class="p"> 2Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil&#160; # 3:2 2Co 13:7 workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3For we are the circumcision,&#160; # 3:3 Gl 6:15 the ones who worship by the Spirit&#160; # 3:3 Rm 8:4; Gl 5:25; 1Tm 3:16 of God, boast in Christ Jesus,&#160; # 3:3 Rm 16:7; Eph 2:6; Php 1:1,15; 1Pt 5:14 and do not put confidence in the flesh&#160;#&#8212;&#160;# 4although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised the eighth day;&#160; # 3:5 Gn 17:12,25; 21:4; Lv 12:3; Lk 1:59; 2:21 of the nation of Israel,&#160; # 3:5 Rm 9:6 of the tribe of Benjamin,&#160; # 3:5 Ps 68:27 a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law,&#160; # 3:5 Ac 5:34; 22:3; Gl 1:14; 5:4 a Pharisee; 6regarding zeal,&#160; # 3:6 Rm 10:2 persecuting&#160; # 3:6 Ac 22:2&#8211;5; 26:9&#8211;11; 1Co 15:9; Gl 1:13; 1Tm 1:13; 2Tm 3:12 the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law,&#160; # 3:6 Rm 3:21; 9:31; 10:4&#8211;5; Gl 2:21; 3:21 blameless.&#160; # 3:6 Lk 1:6; Rm 7:9&#8211;10</div><div class="p"> 7But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value&#160; # 3:8 Php 2:3 of knowing Christ&#160; # 3:8 Jn 17:3; 2Co 4:6; Gl 4:8&#8211;9; Php 1:15; Col 2:2; 1Jn 4:8 Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ&#160; # 3:8 1Pt 3:1 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law,&#160; # 3:9 Rm 10:5 but one that is through faith in Christ&#160; # 3:9 Or through the faithfulness of Christ &#160;#&#8212;&#160;#the righteousness from God based on faith.&#160; # 3:9 Rm 3:22; 10:4; Gl 2:21; Heb 11:7 10My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings,&#160; # 3:10 Rm 8:17; 2Co 1:5&#8211;7; Col 1:24; 1Pt 4:13; 5:1,9 being conformed to his death,&#160; # 3:10 Rm 6:5; 8:36; 2Co 4:7&#8211;12; 12:9&#8211;10; Gl 6:17 11assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.</div><div class="s1">Reaching Forward to God&#8217;s Goal</div><div class="m"> 12Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold&#160; # 3:12 Jn 1:5; 12:35; Rm 9:30; 1Co 9:24; Eph 3:18 of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13Brothers and sisters, I do not&#160; # 3:13 Other mss read not yet consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind&#160; # 3:13 Lk 9:62; 17:31 and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God&#8217;s heavenly&#160; # 3:14 Or upward call in Christ Jesus.&#160; # 3:14 Rm 16:7; Eph 2:6; Php 1:1,15; 1Pt 5:14 15Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal&#160; # 3:15 Lk 10:21 this also to you. 16In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. 17Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. 18For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross&#160; # 3:18 Lk 23:26; 1Co 1:17; Gl 6:12 of Christ. 19Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory&#160; # 3:19 Lk 14:10; Jn 5:41,44; 8:50,54; 12:43; Rm 9:4; 1Co 11:15; 2Co 6:8; 1Th 2:6 is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things. 20Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious&#160; # 3:21 1Pt 5:4 body,&#160; # 3:21 1Co 6:13; 1Jn 3:2 by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.</div>
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In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice  in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.
Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil  workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision,  the ones who worship by the Spirit  of God, boast in Christ Jesus,  and do not put confidence in the flesh #— # although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised the eighth day;  of the nation of Israel,  of the tribe of Benjamin,  a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law,  a Pharisee; regarding zeal,  persecuting  the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law,  blameless. 
But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value  of knowing Christ  Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law,  but one that is through faith in Christ   #— #the righteousness from God based on faith.  My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings,  being conformed to his death,  assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold  of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not  consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind  and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly  call in Christ Jesus.  Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal  this also to you. In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross  of Christ. Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory  is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things. Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious  body,  by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.

Listen to Philippians 3