Philippians 3:7

Philippians 3:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
• New International Version (NIV)But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

Context of Philippians 3:7

5I was circumcised on the eighth day. I’m a descendant of Israel. I’m from the tribe of Benjamin. I’m a pure-blooded Hebrew. When it comes to following Jewish laws, I was a Pharisee. 6When it comes to being enthusiastic, I was a persecutor of the church. When it comes to winning God’s approval by obeying Jewish laws, I was perfect. These things that I once considered valuable, I now consider worthless for Christ. 8It’s far more than that! I consider everything else worthless because I’m much better off knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. It’s because of him that I think of everything as worthless. I threw it all away in order to gain Christ 9and to have a relationship with him. This means that I didn’t receive God’s approval by obeying his laws. The opposite is true! I have God’s approval through faith in Christ. This is the approval that comes from God and is based on faith

Philippians 3:7 word by word

ἀλλ᾽ ἅτινα ἦν μοι κέρδη, ταῦτα ἥγημαι διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν ζημίαν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butἀλλάalla · butG235
• what thingsὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• gainκέρδοςkerdos · gainG2771
• to meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• thoseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• I countedἡγέομαιhēgeomai · to governG2233
• lossζημίαzēmia · damage/lossG2209
• forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• Christὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for Philippians 3:7

• Philippians 3:4although I could have confidence in my physical qualifications. If anyone else thinks that he can trust in something physical, I can claim even more.
• Genesis 19:17As soon as they were outside, one ⌞of the angels⌟ said, “Run for your lives! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stop on the plain. Run for the hills, or you’ll be swept away!”
• Job 2:4Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Certainly, a man will give everything he has for his life.
• Proverbs 13:8A person’s riches are the ransom for his life, but the poor person does not pay attention to threats.
• Proverbs 23:23Buy truth (and do not sell it), ⌞that is,⌟ buy wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
• Matthew 13:44“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. When a man discovered it, he buried it again. He was so delighted with it that he went away, sold everything he had, and bought that field.
• Matthew 16:26What good will it do for people to win the whole world and lose their lives? Or what will a person give in exchange for life?
• Luke 14:26“If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples.
• Luke 16:8“The master praised the dishonest manager for being so clever. Worldly people are more clever than spiritually-minded people when it comes to dealing with others.”
• Luke 17:31“On that day those who are on the roof shouldn’t come down to get their belongings out of their houses. Those who are in the field shouldn’t turn back.
• Acts 27:18We continued to be tossed so violently by the storm that the next day the men began to throw the cargo overboard.
• Galatians 2:15We are Jewish by birth, not sinners from other nations.
• Galatians 5:2I, Paul, can guarantee that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

Commentaries on Philippians 3:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7But what things were gain - The credit and respect which I had, as being zealously attached to the law, and to the traditions of the elders, I counted loss for Christ - I saw that this could stand me in no stead; that all my acts of righteousness were nothing on which I could depend for salvation; and that Christ crucified could alone profit me; for I found that it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7But what things were gain to me - The advantages of birth, of education, and of external conformity to the law. “I thought these to be gain - that is, to be of vast advantage in the matter of salvation. I valued myself on these things, and supposed that I was rich in all that pertained to moral character and to religion.” Perhaps, also, he refers to these things as laying the foundation of a hope of future advancement in honor and in wealth in this world…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-8As a Christian, Paul now considered these things (3:5–6) worthless because of what Christ has done. A believer’s relationship with God is defined by knowing Christ and nothing else (compare 3:10; John 17:3). The only important thing is to gain Christ, thus receiving the gift of eternal salvation (see John 3:16; 1 John 5:11–13). In comparison, all other things are meaningless garbage (or rubbish).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. gain--rather as Greek, "gains"; including all possible advantages of outward status, which he had heretofore enjoyed. I counted--Greek, "I have counted for Christ's sake loss." He no longer uses the plural as in "gains"; for he counts them all but one great "loss" (Mt 16:26; Lu 9:25).Read the comment

Topics related to Philippians 3:7

• Formalism
• Love
• Obedience
• Paradox
• Righteous
• Sacrifices
• Salvation
• Self-Denial
• Testimony
• Wisdom
• Works
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Belly
• Concision
• Count
• Earthly
• Gain
• God
• Mean
• Press

Commentaries on Philippians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings