Philippians 3
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed [is] not grievous, but for you [it is] safe.
To sum up: my dear friends, delight in the Lord! It's not a burden for me to repeat these things to you—it's to keep you safe!
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Watch out for the wolves, those who do evil, those who insist on physical circumcision—
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
for it's we who are truly circumcised, worshiping by the Spirit of God, placing our assurance in Christ Jesus. We have no confidence in human abilities—
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
for if there was a way to rely on human nature then I myself could have that confidence! If anyone thinks they have confidence in such human things, then I outdo them:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
I was circumcised on the eighth day, I'm an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, a true Hebrew. Regarding legal observance I'm a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
as for religious dedication I was a persecutor of the church; while in regard to doing right according to the law I was blameless!
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
But in whatever way such things gained me anything, I count them as a loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,
Truly, I count everything as loss in exchange for the incredible benefit I've gained through knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I've thrown away all these things for him, and consider them trash, so that I might gain Christ.
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
I want to be found in him, not being right because of what I've done, or what the law requires, but made right through confidence in Christ, set right by God through trusting in him.
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
I want to really know him, and the power of his resurrection—to take part in his suffering and become like him in his death,
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
so that somehow I might be part of the resurrection from the dead!
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Not that I've already got it all, or that I'm already perfect—but I run so that I might win what was won for me by Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
My friends, I don't consider that I've already won, but this is my one objective: disregarding what is behind me, I strain forward to what is in front of me.
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
I run towards the finish line to win the prize of God's invitation to heaven through Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Those of us who are spiritually mature should think like this, and if you think anything different, then God will reveal this to you.
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
We just need to make sure that we follow what we already have understood.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
My friends, copy my example as others do and take note of the way to behave since you have us as a model.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:
The way some people live makes them enemies of the cross of Christ—as I've often told you before and repeat again though it pains me so much I want to weep.
19 Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
They will end up being completely lost, these people whose “god” is their physical desires and who are proud of what they should be ashamed of, thinking only about the things of this world.
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
But our homeland is heaven, and we're waiting for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from there too.
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
He will re-create our defective human bodies so that they will be made like his glorious body using the power by which he brings everything under his control.
