Philippians 3

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write these same things again to you is no trouble for me, and it keeps you safe.

2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.

Watch out for the dogs, those evil workers, those who mutilate the flesh.

3 For we are the true circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

For it is we who are the circumcision. It is we who worship by the Spirit of God. It is we who take pride in Christ Jesus, and who have no confidence in the flesh.

4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath reason to trust in the flesh, I more:

Even so, I myself could have confidence in the flesh. If anyone thinks he has confidence in the flesh, I could have even more.

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; with respect to the law, a Pharisee;

I was circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; with regard to the law, a Pharisee.

6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; with respect to the righteousness which is by the law, blameless.

As for zeal, I persecuted the church; as for righteousness under the law, I was blameless.

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

But whatever things were a profit for me, I have considered them as loss because of Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things to be 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 to be dung, that I may win Christ,

In fact, now I count all things to be loss because of the surpassing value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For him I have given up all things—and I consider them rubbish—so that I may gain Christ

9 And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:

and be found in him. I do not have a righteousness of my own from the law. Instead, I have the righteousness that is through faith in Christ, the righteousness that is from God based on faith.

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death;

So now I want to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings. I want to be transformed into the likeness of his death,

11 If by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead.

so somehow I may experience the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I press on, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended by Christ Jesus.

It is not true that I have already received these things, or that I have become complete. But I press on in order that I may grasp that for which I was grasped 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 forward to those things which are before,

Brothers, I do not think that I myself have yet grasped it. But there is one thing: I forget what is behind and strain for what is ahead.

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye are otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you.

All of us who are mature, let us think this way; and if you think differently about anything, God will also reveal that to you.

16 Nevertheless, to what we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

However, whatever we have reached, let us hold on to it.

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them who walk even as ye have us for an example.

Be imitators of me, brothers. Closely watch those who are walking by the example that you have in us.

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:

Many are walking—those about whom I have often told you, and now I am telling you with tears—as enemies of the cross of Christ.

19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Their end is destruction. For their god is their stomach, and their pride is in their shame. They think about earthly things.

20 For our citizenship is in heaven; from which also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

But our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

21 Who shall change our lowly body, that it may be fashioned like his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself.

He will transform our lowly bodies into bodies formed like his glorious body, formed by the might of his power to subject all things to himself.