Philippians 3

The Goal of Life

1Finally, my brethren, 1rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

2Beware of the 2dogs, beware of the 3evil workers, beware of the 4false circumcision; 3for 5we are the true 6circumcision, who 7worship in the Spirit of God and 8glory in 9Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, 4although 10I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 511circumcised the eighth day, of the 12nation of Israel, of the 13tribe of Benjamin, a 14Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, 15a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, 16a persecutor of the church; as to the 17righteousness which is in the Law, found 18blameless.

7But 19whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8More than that, I count all things to be loss 20in view of the surpassing value of 2122knowing 23Christ Jesus my Lord, 24for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9and may be found in Him, not having 25a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, 26the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10that I may 27know Him and 28the power of His resurrection and 2930the fellowship of His sufferings, being 31conformed to His death; 1132in order that I may 33attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12Not that I have already 34obtained it or have already 35become perfect, but I press on 36so that I may 37lay hold of that 38for which also I 39was laid hold of by 40Christ Jesus. 13Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: 41forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14I 42press on toward the goal for the prize of the 43upward call of God in 44Christ Jesus. 15Let us therefore, as many as are 4546perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a 47different attitude, 48God will reveal that also to you; 16however, let us keep 4950living by that same standard to which we have attained.

17Brethren, 51join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the 52pattern you have in us. 18For 53many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even 54weeping, that they are enemies of 55the cross of Christ, 19whose end is destruction, whose god is their 5657appetite, and whose 58glory is in their shame, who 59set their minds on earthly things. 20For 60our 61citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly 62wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21who will 63transform 64the body of our humble state into 65conformity with 66the 67body of His glory, 68by the exertion of the power that He has even to 69subject all things to Himself.