Philippians 3:6

Philippians 3:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
• New International Version (NIV)as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
• English Standard Version (ESV)as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
• New King James Version (NKJV)concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Context of Philippians 3:6

4though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! 5I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 7I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

Philippians 3:6 word by word

κατὰ ζῆλος διώκων τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, κατὰ δικαιοσύνην τὴν ἐν νόμῳ γενόμενος ἄμεμπτος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Concerningκατάkata · according toG2596
• zealζῆλοςzēlos · zealG2205
• persecutingδιώκωdiōkō · to pursueG1377
• the churchὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• the righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• isγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• blamelessἄμεμπτοςamemptos · blamelessG273

Cross-references for Philippians 3:6

• 2 Samuel 21:2So the king summoned the Gibeonites. They were not part of Israel but were all that was left of the nation of the Amorites. The people of Israel had sworn not to kill them, but Saul, in his zeal for Israel and Judah, had tried to wipe them out.
• 2 Kings 10:16Then Jehu said, “Now come with me, and see how devoted I am to the Lord.” So Jehonadab rode along with him.
• Acts 21:20After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously.
• Romans 10:2I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.
• Galatians 1:13You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it.
• Acts 8:3But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.
• Acts 9:1Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest.
• Acts 22:3Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today.
• Acts 26:9“I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene.
• 1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
• 1 Timothy 1:13even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.
• Matthew 5:20“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
• Matthew 23:25“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!
• Mark 10:20“Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
• Luke 1:6Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.
• Acts 26:5If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion.

Commentaries on Philippians 3:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Concerning zeal - As to my zeal for Pharisaism, I gave the fullest proof of it by persecuting the Church of Christ; and this is known to all my countrymen. Touching the righteousness - And as to that plan of justification, which justification the Jews say is to be obtained by an observance of the law, I have done every thing so conscientiously from my youth up, that in this respect I am blameless; and may, with more confidence than most of them; expect…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church - Showing the greatness of my zeal for the religion which I believed to be true, by persecuting those whom I considered to be in dangerous error. Zeal was supposed to be, as it is, an important part of religion; see 2 Kings 10:16; Psalm 69:9; Psalm 119:139; Isaiah 59:17; Romans 10:2. Paul says that he had shown the highest degree of zeal that was possible. He had gone so far in his attachment for the religion of his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6as to zeal, persecuting the church (see Acts 8:1–3; 9:1–2, 21; Galatians 1:13): Paul's actions showed his strong support for Judaism, which saw the good news about Jesus as a threat. Paul’s righteousness, as judged by human standards, also showed his dedication to the law (see also Galatians 1:14; for Paul’s later Christian view, compare Romans 3:23; 7:14–25).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. Concerning--Translate as before and after, "As touching Zeal" (compare Ac 22:3; 26:9). blameless--Greek, "having become blameless" as to ceremonial righteousness: having attained in the eyes of man blameless legal perfection. As to the holiness before God, which is the inner and truest spirit of the law, and which flows from "the righteousness of God by faith," he on the contrary declares (Php 3:12-14) that he has not attained perfection.Read the comment

Topics related to Philippians 3:6

• Bigotry
• Formalism
• Testimony
• Works
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Belly
• Concision
• Count
• Earthly
• Gain
• God
• Mean
• Paul
• Press
• Safe

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