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 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. 6I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I 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 9and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends 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 3:4though 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!
• Genesis 19:17When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”
• Job 2:4Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life.
• Proverbs 13:8The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened.
• Proverbs 23:23Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.
• Matthew 13:44“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
• Matthew 16:26And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
• Luke 14:26“If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.
• Luke 16:8“The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.
• Luke 17:31On that day a person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return home.
• Acts 27:18The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard.
• Galatians 2:15“You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles.
• Galatians 5:2Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then 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